Why do people want to lie so much online to garner attention?
Context:
Elon Musk might be faking being very, very good at some video games, for some reason?
I feel like out of all the things in the world, why would you choose gaming? When you run companies that make space rockets or whatever and cyber cars?
I love video games, so I am not judging the hobby. Some games take so much skill, and most people don’t realize it. It is looked down on as a hobby. Makes me sad, but I won’t rant about games.
Because of that, I find it odd to brag or lie about being really good at a game. The most you will impress are people who play that game. They also tend to be able to call you out for faking.
He is not the only one, and I am not specifically talking about gaming. People fake illness for attention, they fake trauma, they fake being experts. Anonymous people on Reddit pretending to be psychologists or lawyers.
It is so odd to me. I might lie about my age or name for safety online, but I never lie about being better than I am.
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12 Answers
The same reason Trump cheats at golf, on his own course.
Unhealthy, childlike insecurities…
With Trump, he’s probably still trying to get his father’s approval deep down.
If you ask me, Musk became a different person, after hanging out with Joe Rogan on his podcast. Musk had nothing to prove, but he still badly faked inhaling Joe’s blunt.
It was like being popular, was something Musk didn’t realize he would like. Now he does…
I can remember Trump on Howard Stern’s show years ago, talking big, and acting like a Playboy. He hasn’t changed a bit.
Why not? Online you can be anything/anyone you want to be.
To not be normal/boring, and to gain others respect/admiration.
Being online is like going to the world’s biggest masquerade ball. You can dress up to be whatever or whoever you want to be. There are no restrictions. Combine that with the human failings and now AI and you have a situation where so much that is said and shown needs to be questioned.
I think you might also consider why people lie in real life. The answers are the same.
I don’t think this is only an online thing. Some people lie to feel superior or to just be in the conversation. The sad part is that when they are questioned about these things, their response clearly shows they are lying.
Why do people want to lie so much online to garner attention?
You gave the answer in your question – to garner attention.
Money and attention…it actually pays lol.
Sometimes it’s to catfish.
Being themselves online isn’t giving them the same dopamine rush for whatever reason.
To be fair, people lie about themselves in real life too. (Both to others and to themselves.) It’s just easier online.
The real answer is that we’re in the “age of the grifter” or “age of the scammer”.
People figured out being honest and normal never gets you anywhere.
Mathematically, you have to steal/scam/grift/sell your body and soul if you want that nice home, car, person etc.
People do this all the time in real life. I spent many years being alive before social media, it’s not that much different, it’s just a larger audience.
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