Authenticity

Authenticity . Personal or subjective connotation. More than the neutral content, the personal pronoun αύτóς is highlighted, thus highlighting what is proper to man, what characterizes him and makes him stand out from other beings; in this sense, that which has due value is authentic

Summary

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• 1 Different meanings
• 2 The Search for Authenticity
• 3 Individual Needs
• 4 Search for authenticity
• 5 The Essential Elements of Personal Authenticity
• 6 What makes an individual unique
• 7 Dilemmas, Paradoxes and Limits
• 8 Barriers to Authenticity
• 9 Sources

Different meanings

Through the Latin authenticus the Greek radical αύθέντης ( authentés ) appears, which is, in turn, a contraction of αύτο-έντης ( self -entities ); etymologically, the term designates that or that which has in itself its principle, an action practiced by its own hand , which is original; and, by analogy , the one who is lord. In the historical and legal fields, authenticity acquires an objective meaning, designating in the acts and documents its original character or in accordance with the original, and consequently to the one who has authority and can attestor constitute a test in these different sectors. More than the neutral content, the personal pronoun αύτóς is highlighted, thus standing out what is proper to man , what characterizes him and makes him stand out from other beings; in this sense that which has the proper human value is authentic .

The Search for Authenticity

In the search for truth and meaning in life , human beings try to achieve authenticity through social interactions and various forms of expression. If life is an art, one of the key elements of its value is authenticity. Authenticity is usually defined as the fact of being truthful and honest with oneself and with others, as an indisputable credibility, an absolute lack of artifice. Being truthful and honest with oneself and with others implies that authenticity is relational and is connected to personal identity and relationships with the worldexternal. Get personal authenticity is a challenge and it is difficult to maintain because of external influences and demands, as well as the limitations and biases of the individual .

Individual Needs

One of the reasons that lead people to seek authenticity is the need to be the architect of their own life, not a puppet in the theater of society . Striving for personal authenticity provides an antidote to external conditioning and, to a certain extent, is a reaction to the inauthenticity that is prevalent in politics , culture , religion, and everyday life.

The meaning of authenticity is clarified by thinking about the lack of it, since one must contrast authenticity with its opposite, as when checking light and darkness . Thus, it is intrinsically connected with that dualism of human existence that manifests itself in the presence of the tension between opposites.

In the concept of authenticity it is a human and social construct and, as such, it does not have an independent existence outside the mind. Some argue that it is an impossible state of being and point out dilemmas associated with it; the state of authenticity is temporary and cannot be maintained indefinitely. Neither authenticity nor the lack of it can be adequately defined, identified or measured, since many characteristics and attributes of individuals are constantly changing, without a fixed point of reference, and are strongly influenced by biases and preconceptions of each individual , thus as for social factors.

Authenticity has been explored throughout history, from the philosophers of ancient Greece to the authors of the Enlightenment, to existential philosophers, to contemporary social science theorists and thinkers, thus producing a wealth of writings and of opinions. Some argue that personal authenticity is discovered and others argue that it is invented. But whatever the author’s opinion, it is clear that personal authenticity is a characteristic of a dynamic process of eternal change in a changing society and world, not a fixed state.

Search for authenticity

The search for authenticity can be considered as a process of analysis of the subject and the external world . And, since the subject arises from the interaction between himself, others and the environment in a complex society and world, several identities can coexist depending on the place and the context. Some argue that the subject is not a single entity, but contains multiple layers of perceptions, thoughts and changing behavior depending on the context. Achieving authenticity is an individual mission, as each person has their own individual way of being human.. Consequently, the concept becomes quite arbitrary and can be confusing for human relationships: what is authentic for one individual may be different for another.

The Essential Elements of Personal Authenticity

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Being authentic is being truthful and honest with yourself and with others. But that doesn’t have to be enough: there are certain requirements, without which the concept of personal authenticity would be an empty shell, ambiguously defined and misunderstood. Although personal authenticity is in principle desirable, if certain elements are missing it could in fact be detrimental to interpersonal relationships and the functioning of society . Those necessary components of authenticity include conscientiousness , impartial analysis and accurate self-knowledge, thoughtful judgment , personal responsibility and integrity, being genuine and humble, empathy.by the other and the knowledge of this, as well as the optimal use of the reactions of the others. Those components also have to integrate the need to limit and adjust one’s authenticity, depending on the situation. Any measure of true authenticity does not imply expressing the innermost self, with its full range of emotions and changes, in any situation. In this context, being aware of the present moment, without bias, is of great importance, as it improves the clarity of the internal dialogue and decreases the involvement of the ego.. But, even with all that range of variables to consider and with all the precautions taken, it would be almost impossible to take into account all the unknowns. It is important to consider how one’s authentic expressions, however cautious, would be perceived and interpreted by others. The golden rule of treating others as one would like to be treated is essential and can be taken as a guide.

The human condition is such that evolutionary and adaptive factors push the mind toward more unpleasant or negative thoughts. If everyone behaved authentically, without limitations, human society and civilization would be in danger . People would reveal the deep pain of their lives, the anguish inherent in the fragile human existence in the presence of fear , war , death and uncertainty , as well as the unknown.or unknowable. On the other hand, the struggle to transcend the unknown gives a certain meaning to life and elevates us a bit above our origins.

In the absence of clear criteria for personal authenticity, the lines between authenticity and its lack are not clearly marked. These borderlands are amorphous and uncertain and often porous and changeable, especially when applied to politics , business, or culture . The dynamic process of constant change can reveal many facets of personal authenticity. The most difficult choice is between what is ethically correct and what is socially appropriate. The effort of trying to connect with the external world, while trying to maintain some authenticity, could in fact constitute the essence of life .

What makes an individual unique

What makes an individual unique is not who they are, but who they become. Becoming authentic is a process , not an event. It includes not only knowing oneself, but also recognizing others and their influence on oneself, as well as the influence of one’s actions on others. Becoming authentic is a projectindividual. But personal authenticity should not be confused with radical individualism. If the search for personal authenticity is only to achieve personal fulfillment or to satisfy personal desires, then it is individualistic and self-centered. But if it is accompanied by the consciousness of others and integrated with all aspects of the external world, then it is a worthwhile struggle and not a superficial tendency. True personal authenticity is not only about individual perceptions and feelings , but also about those that are tied to external aspects of reality.

Complete self-knowledge is unattainable; one cannot explore the entire labyrinth of human consciousness . Obstacles can arise from not understanding some parts of oneself well, having forgotten them or simply not knowing them. One has to strive for moral behavior , despite pressure from society and the mass through economic exchange. Difficult circumstances, such as illness , can also lead to excessive doubt and insecurity; true self-knowledge must take these conditions into account.

To be authentic, one must be aware of the complex relationship between oneself and others and between authenticity and lack of it. One must be aware of his own inauthenticity and imperfections, and transcend the conditioning of the past and the associated set of behaviors that determine his interaction with the world. To be authentic, one must be aware of the fragility and uncertainty of the human condition, including the awareness and acceptance of human mortality. One must be aware of human suffering and its struggle for survival ; and one must pay attention to one’s own physical and emotional states, as well as those of others. To be authentic is to recognize and accept thepain , fear , loneliness and vulnerability as realities of the human condition, turning these into natural attributes of humanity . To be authentic is to be aware that your state can determine what you think, or how you perceive and interpret things. One should be able to have uninhibited internal dialogue, but at the same time should leave personal dialogue when engaging in external dialogue.

To be authentic, one must be aware of the limits of human knowledge and understanding, as well as the limitations of natural language in communicating one’s thoughts. One must consider the possibility that whatever truth you think you know about nature , including human nature, may not be the ultimate truth. To be authentic is to question your own perceptions and interpretations, as well as those of others, and be willing to accept uncertainty. To be authentic is to recognize and accept human limitations as elementsof human authenticity. Being authentic is being able to see oneself as part of a whole and as a whole that contains a multitude of parts, and being aware of their interactions. One must be able to move through the labyrinth of one’s mind and move back and forth in time to connect past events and memories and form a coherent subject. Being authentic is modulating aspects of your own inner self depending on the circumstances; it is the ability to recognize and select the most appropriate authentic characteristics for each situation.

To be authentic is to consider the possibility that the emergence of human life and intelligence is a cosmic accident with no meaning or purpose, apart from human designs. To be authentic is to designate some purpose in life and, at the same time , not to be linked to it as if it were the only one, but one among many. Being authentic is being consistent with the principles and attributes outlined above, and at the same time being careful with that consistency, as it could inhibit one ‘s own evolution.. Self-discovery is a lifelong process, and at each stage of there are not only things that we do not know, but things that are constantly emerging and mixing with those that we already know or do not know. Discoveries or interpretations about oneself and the world should be considered carefully to ensure that they do not inhibit or prevent their possible re-evaluation or evolution towards a deeper understanding. To be authentic is to consider existence as neither always absurd nor always meaningful, but sometimes one and sometimes the other, depending on the perspective or context. To be authentic is to recognize that nature is what it is, regardless of the meaning or interpretation that the human mind gives it; he is indifferent to life and sufferinghumans, because she is neither evil nor kind. This is the fundamental state of nature, independent of human existence. Nature is neither moral nor immoral; it has no idea what is right or wrong. They concepts like morality, sense of justice, honesty and authenticity are unique to the genre human; These concepts have evolved in society as a set of norms to achieve a bit of harmony within it.

To be authentic is to consider that, from the perspective of the entire universe , most things, including oneself, are not important, and to recognize that all these concepts and values ​​are human constructs and therefore have their limitations. We are inclined to develop those concepts in an effort to facilitate communication and understanding , to accept our existence in the universe and describe reality, fully aware that the universe is too complex for such concepts. But these concepts help us to generate the hope of obtaining a certain meaning in our lives.

This list of principles and attributes of personal authenticity is not a substitute for a precise definition of personal authenticity. He only gives us a small sketch, with the implicit understanding that it will never be fully completed. Thus, personal authenticity seems to be at the limits of human reason . Regardless, as one of the main criteria of personal authenticity is to be truthful and honest with oneself and with others, that requires a broad understanding of everything related to humanity and nature.. One will never be able to implement all the traits and attributes of what it takes to be authentic. The level of self-knowledge and personal authenticity depends on a variety of individual factors, including different personal circumstances, interpretive skills, culture , religion , ideology , vision of the world as well as the details of the character of the individual , his experience, knowledgeand emotional factors. Thus, each individual perceives and interprets himself, others and the world in his own way. Furthermore, all of the above is constantly changing and your understanding is always biased and biased.

Dilemmas, Paradoxes and Limits

Authenticity and the lack of it are not considered mutually exclusive states, but mutually dependent concepts. One cannot discover personal authenticity by avoiding the external world, but by immersing oneself in it. In that case, authenticity emerges as a result of constantly confronting external influences and pressures. The paradox of authenticity is that the individual strives to achieve greater authenticity by immersing himself in the external world, where adaptation to it can erode authenticity. There are also specific characteristics to each cultureor social structure, and limits to self-knowledge. This is further complicated by the presence of cognitive illusions and biases, including self-deception, the tendency to believe that things will work out, and to behave differently when observed.

Since our lives operate on a probabilistic level, authenticity can only be discovered in uncertainty. So another paradox ; Authenticity can only be achieved through immersion in uncertainty and doubt , but these make it difficult to discover the true self, without which human authenticity cannot be achieved. During life, individuals have to grapple with dilemmas of personal authenticity. That struggle involves various identities, principles, and ideals, which are constantly re-evaluated during self-analysis and through socialization. One of the dilemmas of personal authenticity has to do with the fact that although most personal attributes change over time, one expects the authenticity to have some consistency. The apparent contradiction resides in the requirement that there be change and consistency in turn. In other words, as the identity of the individual is constantly changing and evolving, how can one determine his instantaneous identity, or recognize authenticity throughout a lifetime, or discover the meaning of authenticity? Perhaps, the value of authenticity is not in its consistency, but in its consistent evolution throughout the life of the individual.

The sense of authenticity can be recognized by thinking of the lack of it, as one must contrast authenticity with its opposite. So here’s the dilemma: if one believes that one is authentic and does not notice any inauthenticity, one cannot really be sure of its authenticity. This dilemma is related to the universal presence of opposites and the tension between them. Human perception of the outer world and inner life, together with all interpretations and knowledge, including those that are related to the subject, are intertwined and inseparable. They coexist as components of a puzzle , but cannot be separated into simple elements.

The conscious mind is limited to just several bits of information or ideas for comparison and analysis at any one time. Those bits or ideas can arise from the thoughts of the individual or the external world. This limits the ability of the human mind to examine larger amounts of information or various aspects of a given topic. The mind tends to fill in the gaps with the details at its disposal and with facts from memory, which contains only partial knowledge. Furthermore, human understanding is limited by the senses, which only perceive a small fraction of what is potentially available in the external world. So that leads to an incomplete understanding, at best, or a misrepresentation, at worst, of what we observe, experience, or imagine within our limitations and categories. Thus, human knowledge is always incomplete.

In relation to the list of principles and attributes of personal authenticity, as the conscious mind is limited to analyzing only several objects at a time, this limitation of the mind to simultaneously consider all these principles and attributes puts limits on human reasoning without the full Awareness of the wide variety of these principles and attributes of authenticity, complete personal authenticity cannot be achieved. At any time, authenticity can only be partial.

The complexity of human existence makes any unambiguous discovery of personal identity a monumental challenge. The identity staff is influenced by a variety of factors, including various interests and desires, which are mixed in complex ways and can give as a result traits and unpredictable behavior. Due to the inherent limitations of the human mind, the analysis is often simplified, and the intricate interdependence of various elements that play essential roles in the formation of personal identity is often overlooked. That may result in an investigationfragmented and the illusion of understanding personal identity. Another limit in the search for authenticity has to do with language . The main purpose of language is to express and communicate ideas, thoughts, informationand feelings. But it is open to misinterpretation and distortion. The limits of human language and thought are some of the barriers to human authenticity. Words and language are often not adequate to express the full spectrum of thoughts and feelings that a person has. Some things cannot be expressed in any way. Words and phrases are often ambiguous, because they have more than one meaning. Also, changing thoughts and perceptions of oneself may not be understandable, so expressing them using words and language may not always be consistent. One may also wonder if the words actually represent reality or just a concept of reality, or a reduced representation of reality, or if the words and theLanguage can even generate a multitude of separate realities.

Language mediates experience, understanding, and communication . Thus, a fully authentic or unmediated self-awareness is almost unattainable. Furthermore, any objective discovery of the self is only possible without preconceptions and biases. Therefore, no kind of self-analysis, no matter how long and detailed, can reveal one’s real identity. A completely transparent language , with a clear and direct correspondence between thoughts and words, does not exist. Allegories, onnotations, implications, and metaphors are the major causes of misunderstandings and misinterpretations in communication . In some concepts, such as fiction andpoetry , some ambiguity is desirable, because each individual creates new meanings through their associations and interpretations. But in authentic communication, the ability to think clearly and communicate thoughts accurately is very important. Therefore, one must always be careful about possible ambiguities in language. Ultimately, the listener’s interpretation of the spoken or written bit of information will determine whether the information was received as intended.

Barriers to Authenticity

There are several factors that can hinder the development of personal authenticity. These include prior conditioning, fear of rejection and failure , societal pressures to adapt and thus live inauthentic ways, and a lack of understanding of the concept of authenticity. Other reasons for being inauthentic include a desire to avoid conflict with others, including hurting others or being hurt, as well as avoiding admitting one’s own flaws. In some situations, the need for constructive collaboration with others may require some adaptation and therefore make authenticity difficult. In those cases, individuals try to show their bestface and express what is expected of them, to be perceived favorably. To a large extent, all of these factors drive and limit one’s thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and daily choices.

Despite the limitless possibilities open to humans during their lives, the practical options available to each are limited by various circumstances related to their environment , culture , education , abilities, genetics, or simply being in the right place in the world. right moment. Throughout our lives we are programmed to adapt to our environment, society and cultureSo to a large extent our environment actually defines who we are. We are told that such adaptation is essential for social cohesion and for fostering a sense of community. These social pressures inhibit becoming authentic, since rejecting them can lead to social isolation. The process of examining yourself can also be challenging and exhausting, as it can expose some undesirable personal characteristics that require change.

For most of the time it is conscious, the human mind is concerned with daily life. Is in perpetual conflict due to the memory of painful events, fear , loneliness, to the struggle for comfort and security, to futile efforts, illusions and disappointments. It is difficult to be aware of your own authenticity and to pursue it for long periods of time; there are always distractions and obstacles. The fight for survival tends to take precedence over other goals for most people for most of the time. Throughout life, many events and circumstances are beyond our control. In most cases, the best one can do is choose an appropriate response. That choice may, after all, indicate the extent of one’s authenticity.

It is important to think about some aspects of human nature that can make it difficult to find personal authenticity. The most troubling human traits include self-deception, assuming things will work out, and various cognitive biases. This is further complicated by the tendency of the human mind to construct its own illusory reality. Another relevant concept to personal authenticity is that of bounded rationality, which refers to rational choices made in the presence of limitations in time, in knowledge and in cognitive capacity. This concept indicates that entirely rational decisions are not always possible, due to limited human abilities when analyzing complex problems.

The limits of human perception, thinking, and self-knowledge are one of the main barriers to personal authenticity. Human reality is based on perceptions, belief systems, knowledge, preconceptions, experiences, and feelings . The limits imposed on our sensesand knowledge allow the perception of only a small portion of reality; And, as all these attributes are different for each one, the reality is also different for each person. One may never come to full knowledge of oneself, which is constantly defined and refined by new understanding, framed in the outside world and influenced by its requirements. In this context, too much attachment to a rigid image of oneself inhibits the continuous refinement of the knowledge of the self.

Human existence is limited to a small set of possibilities. We are incapable of knowing how much our ignorance encompasses or how much remains to be understood or discovered. Superimposed on this are different limits to the understanding of the universe and the fact that, in specific terms, we do not know what we do not know, and that our knowledge and reasoning are always partial. That implies the dilemma of how to reconcile ourselves to the presence of a perpetual problem when trying to encompass the whole with our limitations and partial understanding that seem to determine our instantaneous perception of the universe and of ourselves. Objective perceptions and interpretations are unattainable. Authentic communication is contingent on the individual’s abilityto recognize what is true for himself, and in the adequacy of language to express his true thoughts, opinions and feelings. In this context, it is important to remember that there are inherent limits to language , interpretation, and expression, which basically constrain authentic relationships with others. Thus, in many personal communications it is not always clear whether authenticity, or lack thereof, is related to the circumstances, the appropriate or inappropriate use of language, the subject, or the participants and their perceptions and interpretations. This is further complicated by the possibility that language can influence thoughts and affect perception.

Complete authenticity is not sustainable in the presence of various needs and requirements for adaptation to the external world, as well as internal needs and conditions. Thus, although some authentic states can be achieved, typical states will be on a wide spectrum between complete authenticity and complete lack of it. A practical way of approaching authentic states is perhaps to progressively avoid inauthenticity as much as possible. In general, anything organized by humans, including religions, political and governmental organizations, and corporations, contains inherent defects of the human race and is almost always imperfect and inauthentic. In those organizations, personal authenticity and authentic communication are difficult to maintain due to the need to adapt and fear of rejection. The crucial problem for society is the inability to know how to deal effectively with fundamental human needs for power, status,hierarchy and competition, as well as universal concern in all aspects of human interactions through cost-benefit analysis. Becoming authentic is difficult because of the need for approval and recognition from others, which encourages the person to behave according to their expectations. That is combined with past conditioning, including opinions and beliefs, misconceptions, self-delusions, hopes and dreams, pain and disappointments.

The religion organized is another barrier to personal authenticity. Although religious doctrine does not incorporate the concept of authenticity, organized religion and personal authenticity flagrantly contradict each other. Those who believe in some dogma , be it religious or empirical, cannot achieve authenticity, because our knowledge and understanding of ourselves, our society and the universethey are constantly changing and increasing, which inevitably contradicts those dogmas. Religious ways of thinking and discourses, based on texts full of ambiguities and myths, limit the freedom to ask questions and therefore inhibit authenticity. Religious practice and deliberation do not encourage individual choices. The individual is told what to do; he does not discover it for himself from within.

The morality imposed from the outside through narrow doctrines and religious beliefs, it is passively received through dogmatic teachings and recapitulation of old texts, and therefore may not be sufficiently compatible with new understanding and knowledge. Because religious doctrine constantly demands that humans conform to a fixed structure and obey religious authority, it precludes any overt discussion of morality and personal authenticity. The fundamental paradox of religious morality and authenticity is that being moral and doing good as acts of obedience , with a reward after deathThey do not constitute an authentic morality, but a response to the fear of condemnation; it is only about punishment and reward. Thus, the motivation in this case is only self-interest, which in principle should disqualify that person from receiving the prize of eternal peace in a paradise that is prepared for genuinely upright people. Morality is not authentic when it is based on fear of punishment and obedience to divine commandments in the expectation of a reward, but when it arises from free choice and a sense of responsibility .

The future of human intelligence and self-knowledge is tied to emerging technologies to improve the human species. These include cognitive and memory improvements. The problems linked to this are related to human nature and identity, the nature of society, the meaning of existence and the limits and ethical considerations associated with the improvement of humans. The union of humans and machines may require a new definition of what a human being is. The shrinking frontier between humans and machines and the corresponding formation of a new identity will raise more questions in the context of philosophical, political, social and cultural implications, including those related to self-knowledge and personal authenticity. Later in the future there might be technology advanced enough to allow access to thoughts. That can result in a loss of privacy and individualism, and therefore a loss of authenticity.