I can't speak for the OP here, but I think she was just using the term "pretending" as it was used in the other thread, not as an accusation of lying or faking. I don't like the term at all because of the connotations of faking, but it seemed to be used in the other thread in terms of wanting to appear normal and that there was an element of grieving involved. I may have gotten that wrong, but that was my take. I don't relate to any one in the system pretending to be another, or even quite understand it, but that's not any kind of commentary on the value of another system where alters do take on the identity of another alter.

In real life, none of us go around saying our names all that much, so there's no need to announce an identity. There are different names given for various accounts and roles in life, and it can get confusing to know which was used, but no one on the outside questions this. All the time, I explain to the bank, for example that the name on the account is X, but I go by Y (which is a totally different name and not a nickname) and they're like okay, Y, how can I help you?

The younger ones are out when there's a trigger and that's when things often go badly. They don't even know enough to act like another alter. It's a trigger and, bam, they're out. Same with one that's a little older (teen) who handles a lot of security issues or threats. That said, I understand the OP in the other post, that there's a feeling of grieving and loss in all of this because no one is really every known on the outside. But maybe that's true for everyone, not just people with d id.