In a New York Times column on March 29th, 2026, “It’s the Era of Swagger Without the Sweat,” Sobrevilla discusses the rise in swagger, accompanied by a decline in imposter syndrome. Now, instead of imposter syndrome being in vogue, it’s popular to be an actual imposter.
With imposter syndrome, accomplished people ignore evidence of their achievements and live in fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” The new trend is for people without achievements to pose as experts, boasting with unearned confidence supported by likes and followers, in the guise of a healthy belief in themselves as deserving. With this affliction, whether fueled by self-deception, entitlement, or deliberate facade, there is a conspicuous absence of self-doubt, critical thinking and, in this case, legitimate fear of being outed as a fraud. Instead it’s the people around them who seem to harbor a fear of rightfully exposing the illusion.
The author points out the argument that an inflated sense of power can be an adaptive reaction to an understandable feeling of existential dread and helplessness in our current world. But maintaining an illusion of grandiosity is not only off putting but a shallow and fragile fix, making people hooked on constant admiration, at the cost of authentic connection, mastery, and resilience.
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