'Pretenders are always the worst' goes the popular saying.

So many people see pretence as a deadly attribute, but I beg to differ. Pretence, basically, might not be totally harmful. It has its pros, as well as its cons. Personally, I think the pros overrides the cons.
Pretence becomes a bad thing when we begin to harbour evil plots in our heart, or when we pretend unnecessarily at the wrong time and situation.

Personally, I see pretence as a tool in achieving an objective - mind you, without hurting anyone's feeling.

In our daily lives, there maybe some characters you might want to possess. Why don't you begin by pretending to posses them? Soonest or later, you will find yourself exhibiting those characters.

What about that dude you have a natural dislike for. As a human, that feeling tends to abound. Why don't you begin by trying to like him? You never can tell, you may end up enjoying the good side of him (provided you have no evil plot for him or her).
Never estimate the power of pretence!

Pretence = Self Deceit.
If you can achieve your goals with pretence, ride on.