Authentic Orange

Submitted by Mitchell Monen

To be authentic, in my opinion means to live a life true to who you are and what you believe is right. Being authentic is important because it helps bring out the uniqueness and individualistic properties of oneself. Being authentic can mean different things to different people. For example, Kierkegaard believes that to be authentic you must find your meaning in life through a relationship with God, and by doing so you will find yourself with his guidance (Lec. 5/3). Nietzsche believed to not fall under the power of society and to “not follow the herd” (Lec. 5/5). In todays society, a lot of people seem to hide their self from others because they are afraid of what other people might think or say. I believe that an individual should strive for independence and distinction, not being the same as your counterparts. I will list three tips to live an authentic life.

Tip #1: Find True Friends

Having a group of friends that you feel comfortable around is crucial for living an authentic life. Your friends should know your true self as you should know theirs. Having friends that let you express yourself in a authentic way can help you find your “authentic you”. While growing up, I had a great group of friends that I did practically everything with. From going to school, to getting in trouble (not too much trouble), and experiencing the obstacles in life that one goes through while growing up. If I acted out, or tried to be something I’m not, my friends always noticed and mentioned I wasn’t “being myself”. I think that type of honesty and trueness is important for developing an authentic personality. In Heidegger’s book,  Being And Time (Pg. 227) he mentions the “they-self” as a form of authenticity. People can sometimes be absorbed by the “they” by engaging in a task. I would say the most common form of the “they-self” is gossip. Gossip is very common among student bodies and a lot of kids become engulfed in it. It’s important to notice these actions and not become apart of it.

Tip #2: Explore Your Freedom

Many individuals today don’t use their freedom as much as they should. For example, in America many people don’t use their ability to vote or voice their opinion. The majority of people become apart of the crowd and follow other peoples choices, or believe their participation doesn’t matter in the long run. The truth is, every single persons vote does matter and can influence your everyday lives. Another example of choosing how to use your freedom is choosing your career path. Many people feel they are destined for one particular job or close the doors to other opportunities because they want to take the easy route (Lec. 6/2). My advice would be to figure out what your passion is and fulfill that to the fullest.

Tip #3: Find What You Love

For a long time I was apart of a wrestling team and my dad was one of the coaches. Part of me felt inclined to participate because of my dads involvement with the team and the other part of me just wanted to do something active. I played football and basketball occasionally, but I felt it wouldn’t suffice. I never truly enjoyed wrestling and wanted to find something I really love doing, so I thought about what I love and it’s music. I picked up playing the piano my junior year of high school and simultaneously stopped wrestling. I felt horrible telling my dad I wanted to stop but it was the right thing to do. I haven’t looked back since. My advice to anyone with a similar conflict is to ponder what makes you happy and expand on it.

Authenticity is a important part of the human experience. No one wants to be homogenous with everything around them and act like robots. Having originality and a sense of distinction is important part of being human.