How to Spot a Poser
Know what the people in a group are passionate about., Find out if that person is passionate about that one thing., Be suspicious if the person has a history of jumping from one extreme to another., Test their knowledge.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what the people in a group are passionate about.
Metalheads, for example, are passionate about the music.
Everything else (like dressing like a metalhead) is secondary.
Skaters are passionate about the actual skating, and everything else (how you dress, how you talk) is not as important as how you skate. , A metalhead who never listens to metal is a poser.
A skater who doesn't spend a large portion of their time actually skating is a poser.
People who are passionate about something do not always talk about it but they're always happy to get into a conversation about it.
Start a conversation about their so called love for a certain genre or sport.
Do they get nervous and try to end the conversation? Or are they more than happy to talk to someone like-minded?, If one year the person was goth, the next year they were emo, and this year they are skater, they're probably insecure and just want to fit in., If you suspect that they're just claiming to like a certain band or hobby, test their knowledge on the subject.
You don't have to make the conversation feel like a formal interview, nor do you have to make them feel small.
All you have to do is drop a small comment and see what they reply with.
For example, if someone claims to like the band Rise Against, say something like "I love that band too! What's your favourite song/album by them?" If they struggle to name a song or album, or if they reply with something like "I like all their songs"
they probably don't know anything about Rise Against.
Be careful though, as some hardcore fans of a band sometimes have a hard time picking a favourite song too.
Sometimes the person will become an "expert" on a subject or band so if you ever do question them about it, they'll know what to say.
They're still posers, just a bit harder to spot.
If you're trying to test this persons knowledge, test it on the whole subculture rather than just a single band they like.
Chances are, they'll know everything about one topic but nothing about the next. -
Step 2: Find out if that person is passionate about that one thing.
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Step 3: Be suspicious if the person has a history of jumping from one extreme to another.
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Step 4: Test their knowledge.
Detailed Guide
Metalheads, for example, are passionate about the music.
Everything else (like dressing like a metalhead) is secondary.
Skaters are passionate about the actual skating, and everything else (how you dress, how you talk) is not as important as how you skate. , A metalhead who never listens to metal is a poser.
A skater who doesn't spend a large portion of their time actually skating is a poser.
People who are passionate about something do not always talk about it but they're always happy to get into a conversation about it.
Start a conversation about their so called love for a certain genre or sport.
Do they get nervous and try to end the conversation? Or are they more than happy to talk to someone like-minded?, If one year the person was goth, the next year they were emo, and this year they are skater, they're probably insecure and just want to fit in., If you suspect that they're just claiming to like a certain band or hobby, test their knowledge on the subject.
You don't have to make the conversation feel like a formal interview, nor do you have to make them feel small.
All you have to do is drop a small comment and see what they reply with.
For example, if someone claims to like the band Rise Against, say something like "I love that band too! What's your favourite song/album by them?" If they struggle to name a song or album, or if they reply with something like "I like all their songs"
they probably don't know anything about Rise Against.
Be careful though, as some hardcore fans of a band sometimes have a hard time picking a favourite song too.
Sometimes the person will become an "expert" on a subject or band so if you ever do question them about it, they'll know what to say.
They're still posers, just a bit harder to spot.
If you're trying to test this persons knowledge, test it on the whole subculture rather than just a single band they like.
Chances are, they'll know everything about one topic but nothing about the next.
About the Author
Alice Ellis
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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