This social media thing remains me of the gold rush, people claiming to be prospectors without ever having seen a mine, yet swear its going to be their own personal elevator to the top. If only the bothered to turn their head in either direction.

But do you see nothing he “faked” had anything to do with his underlying claim that he could sail to the New World? Columbus simply embellished the details to appeal to the ego of a King. In other words, he got rid of the distractions (that he wasn’t of noble blood) so they could focus on the merits of his claim.

That is far different than building a second life on the internet where you’re not the intern you are in reality. Social media analyst? Does someone pay you to analyze social media? Ok, then if you were Columbus you’d have written “renowned social media analyst.” Otherwise, the fact that someone like computers and pontificates on Twitter doesn’t mean they get the title.

Take the running analogy. You just began to take it up as a hobby and get caught up in it even though you’re just ok. You go out and spend a bunch of money on expensive shoes and clothes or whatever. You start to tell your friends about how you’re training for a marathon. You post pictures of yourself running on your Facebook page and put running as your interests. You make a big show whenever you go out to do it or when you come to work sore. Naturally people start to identify you with running even though they’ve never seen you do it or know if you’re any good.

Blah blah, tell me how does any of that faking it until you make it bullshit make you improve as a runner? It doesn’t, it’s just a stupid way for you to give yourself credit for something rather than earning it.

I’d think to see one or two good example where someone who actually accomplished something could be said to have faked their way into it. I bet almost any you’ll come up with with be totally devoid of any of the shit I’m talking about.

The problem is people who just FAKE IT, and never focus on the make it. These are the people who are always going to school, but never really accomplishing anything; talking about what grandiose schemes they have, but never acting on them. These are the people simply performing mental masturbation.

“Faking it ’til you make it,” doesn’t require gloating about what you are marginally good at. Following that, I don’t think you should disregard it because some dork thinks he’s a “social guru”.

I think there is a confusion of terms. One is bragging, the other is simply replicating the actions of other people that have become successful in your field of study.

You said:

“Giving yourself credit for something in advance does the opposite of encouraging growth, it breeds atrophy. And foolishness. And arrogance. And everything but the thing you want so badly to happen; that is, for people to respect you on your merits.”

I agree with this in the context of the piece (this guy is proliferating self-absorbed douche-baggery). But, doesn’t running itself make you a runner, even if you aren’t the best at it? You don’t need to give yourself credit as “the best runner”, or a “running expert”. A modest “runner” will do.

Just a thought.

Fake it till you make isn’t a strategy. It’s a cover. It has to be done in accordance with a larger, substantive plan. Otherwise, what is the goal? After you’ve tricked everyone do you magically have what you’ve pretended to have? No, of course not.