# I hate feeling the need to fake it just to fit in

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 7, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500 "2007-11-07T02:33:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500/41 "2007-11-08T06:29:07Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=amarinth]  
Harriet’s right. Your co-workers are far, far, far more interested in your listening while they talk about their crushes than in hearing about yours.  
[/QUOTE]

It’s a good point. I usually ask about my friends’ love lives/what they did on a given weekend as a launching point so I can inform them of guys I find cute/that I dated/had sex with. You’ll be doing them a favor, **monstro** by listening.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500/42 "2007-11-08T23:18:31Z")

</div>

To echo other comments, if someone asks about crushes or anything say something like, “Oh, no one’s really doing it for me right now” or even “I dunno. Who’s appealing to you? Maybe I should take notes.”

When a coworker of mine goes on and on about Matthew McConacan’tspellit I end up doing precisely that. “Oh, yeah, he’s quite handsome isn’t he?” That seems to set her up for a good long while. 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500/43 "2007-11-09T02:07:08Z")

</div>

In response to an unattractive baby, I now use the “Oooh, he looks just like you / your spouse!” or similar. She’s got your nose, his ears, whatever. Parents like to hear that and won’t take it as an insult 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500/44 "2007-11-09T03:29:12Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=monstro]  
I know we probably annoy some of the older, crochechty guys who would never deign to socialize at work, but we are hard workers and get our shit done. So bump them.

[/QUOTE]

I think you are learning the benefits of being old and crotchety.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-feeling-the-need-to-fake-it-just-to-fit-in/425500.md?page=2)