---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are what we pretend to be."
description: "\"We are what we pretend to be.\" — Kurt Vonnegut"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/kurt-vonnegut-41_drinking_we-are-what-we-pretend-to-be-1013462_1013462.jpg"
---

#  We are what we pretend to be.

![“We are what we pretend to be.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/kurt-vonnegut-41_drinking_we-are-what-we-pretend-to-be-1013462_1013462.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/kurt-vonnegut-41_drinking_we-are-what-we-pretend-to-be-1013462_1013462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/kurt-vonnegut-41_drinking_we-are-what-we-pretend-to-be-1013462_1013462.jpg)

> “We are what we pretend to be.”

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Our identity is shaped by the roles we adopt.

**In simple terms:** We become what we act like.

Key Takeaway

Choose authentic roles.

Themes

identity authenticity social roles

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical personal

When to use this quote

- career
- relationships
- public personas
- social media

Key Concepts

psychology self‑concept

Questions to Reflect On

- What roles do you play?
- Are they true to yourself?

A Different Perspective

Pretending can cause internal conflict.

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