I'm a straight guy and one of the most important traits I select for in my friends is authenticity. I'm friends with strong guys, weak guys, nerdy guys, party animals, all sorts but one thing they have in common is they are real. They know who they are and they aren't trying to be someone they aren't.

Some dude could have a bunch of stuff going for him but if he's not real then to me he's at best a sideshow and never someone I'm going to hold close. I think this is a common feeling among men about who they choose to associate with.

I'm curious about to what extent this matters to women in choosing a partner. Obviously no one would prefer to date a poser. But if a guy has a lot of other stuff going for him and just kind of exaggerates or role-plays a little bit, is that really a deal-breaker? Frankly I do see a lot of women dating guys I would consider fake, but they still seem happy together.

Let me clarify a little what I mean by "fake". I don't mean the guy is a compulsive liar or a cheater or anything like that. I'm talking about someone who's persona, style, or presentation isn't aligned with his authentic life experiences. It's something that people may not even notice at first and he himself might not even know he's doing.