Madness string 702

Random mermaid
Forgetting what we are... we are always forgetting. We do not want to remember what we are, menial, lowly, despicable, pleasurable, beautiful, deplorable, animal, impeccable. We do not like it, so we are always forgetting. And we are always changing.

Assuming that PREtending is what came before - what exactly would be the meaning of 'tending'. And, dare I ask, what would POSTtending be?