Authentic Orange

Submitted by Geoffrey Bishop

Congrats! You graduated High School and are now on your way to Oregon State University. I can assure you that you have made the right choice of schools in the State of Oregon! Before you get Corvallis, I’d like to give you a few pointers on how to “Be Orange!” We want you to be as authentic as you can and this intro to OSU will help you do that!

You might be asking yourself, “What does it mean to authentically Be Orange?” Authenticity, simply put, is truth. Truth has been said to be “A mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms” (Nietszche, Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense). The act of being true to one’s own self defines an authentic person. So, the easiest way to be “authentic” is to be you. Oregon State is a great place to find out who you are by exploring the many options and experiences of this great University.

“Be Orange” is not a demand but a way of life. Here at Oregon State, we tell ourselves that we “Bleed Orange”. So, if we substitute the word “orange” with yourself, the term “Be Orange” becomes “Be Yourself”. Some tips are as follows:

Tip One: Do what you enjoy. This is your life and you have to make the shots! However, you may have to change and follow at times so you can live in society. For some of you, college may have been expected, while others, they might be the first in their family to attend Higher Education. Either way, as our society evolves, so do the standards of living, asking for more people to attend college.

Tip Two: Make new friends! Oregon State University is one of the friendliest places and everyone is just waiting to be your friend. While making new friends, try and find some that like you for you. Always remember that it’s ok for yourself and someone else to be independent. “Do what you must, come what may.” (The Ethics of Ambiguity, Simone de Beauvoir 1947.) It’s the idea of “You get what you put in”. If you want to hang out with 20 people at all times, that’s fine! And if you want to hang out by yourself, that’s perfect to! It’s all about doing what makes you happy.

Tip Three: This is your life, and you are the main character! Everything you do can have two sides or outlooks. Think about the Myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was required to roll a rock up a mountain only to have it roll back down, making him roll it back up again. However, Sisyphus believed he controlled the outcome because if he let go of the rock, it would roll back down and if he kept going; he would make it to the top one again. If you approach a task as a punishment, you’ll have a horrible time and it will be a punishment. But, if you approach it with the idea that you are in control of the outcome; you will be more proud of the finished product.

            As we look back as these few tips about being yourself, we see a trend. You are the driver of your own life. You have to be in control and allow yourself to be ok with the outcomes of life because they are the consequences of your own actions. I hope this will help you transition into a new school! Good Luck!

SUBMITTED BY: MEGAN MARCHAND

PHL 150

Authenticity to me means not being fake, but being true to one self as well as others when it comes actions upon one’s morals and beliefs. I along with being a strong “Beaver Believer” I am a strong causa sui to the second power believer. (Lecture 4-9-15) I believe that every experience we have is what shapes us into who we become.

I haven’t always been a Beaver Believer. In fact, up until my senior year of high school, I was a Duck fan. It wasn’t until I received a scholarship that would pay for my tuition at any Oregon university that I found myself considering OSU. It’s always been a dream of mine to become a teacher, to teach agriculture to younger generations and educate them on some of the most important subjects that pertain to continuing life on this earth.

Suddenly the stats and sporting games didn’t matter. I focused on the academics of schools all around Oregon and I found that OSU was known for its College of Agriculture and excelled academically in the eyes of the state. So I applied and a few months later I was accepted.

Sartre says we are “condemned to be free, because once thrown into the world [we] are responsible for everything [we] do.” (Sartre, Being and Nothingness, Pg. ) This is a fear that struck me when making my decision on what college to attend (afraid I wouldn’t choose the right one and be home by the end of my first term). However, my fear quickly disappeared as I enrolled and selected my first set of classes as a freshman at Oregon State University in the Fall of 2013, here’s how yours can too!

This is a guide to becoming AUTHENTICALLY Orange for all those CURRENT Duck fans!

• Visit and fall in love with our campus!
• See how welcoming, open minded and accepting our community is
• Apply and enroll at Oregon State University. You can visit the Admission’s Office page at http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/
• Buy and wear a bunch of Beaver gear. What’s up good lookin’?
• Take classes that you’re interested in and contact your professors
• Realize how much the instructors on this campus care about the success of each and every one of their students.
• Sit in the student’s section at any one of our sporting events and feel the energy of our fan base
• Play intermural sports through Dixon Rec
• Get involved in Greek Life whether you join the community or you just participate in their philanthropies
• Live fully and enjoy every moment at this beautiful school

Alright, so there are a few things I’ve learned from my Philosophy class this past term. One of the things I’ve learned is how to live in the moment. I’ve learned that reality is ontologically ambiguous and that facticity and transcendence both play an important part in living day-to-day. (Lecture 4-9-15). This class has taught me to question everything! I mean everything. Is freedom actually free? What does it mean to be alive? What does it take to become “nothing”? Is there an afterlife? Is there a god? Most importantly though, this past term I’ve learned the importance of being true to myself. The importance of authenticity. Without being authentic I can’t successfully live with meaning. We are all in an existential situation where we are striving for eternal and infinite meaning. (Lecture 4-16-15). Though I’ve learned all of this, I’ve also found that often times others can bring out the inauthenticity of ourselves as we group together sometimes we have the habit of losing our individuality and it is crucial to our existence that we are aware of this and surround ourselves with those who allow us to be ourselves, true and authentic. (Lecture 4-28-15).

There are three spheres to existence: Aesthetic, Ethical and Religious. (Lecture 4-23-15). People live that live in the Aesthetic sphere are thrill seeks. They seek to satisfy their desires immediately. In the Ethical sphere people constantly debate if situations and choices are good or bad. These people live with believing they have a universal moral duty to make responsible decisions that align with their idea of right. Lastly, in the Religious sphere these people live in Christian faith. They find meaning in both their church and their relationship with God.

Some people live in all three of these spheres actively. Some only one or two. However, typically one resonates most with them. Which do you live in?

Submitted by Nikki Rieken

The idea of  authenticity and “Be Orange” is to be true to yourself, don’t give into peer pressure, and find others who share your passion for life. The idea of Causa sui to the second power (Lecture 04/09/15) is having a variety of possibilities to choose what you will be and college is the time to utilize that freedom. Likewise, learning what you stand for and what makes you happy in life is the simple view of the Kierkegaard’s three stages of existence. The concept of authenticity is being genuine and true to oneself in both a philosophical standpoint and a way of approaching obstacles in life. Being authentic is simply being who you really are, which can be extremely difficult when it comes to trying not to conform to influential individuals in ones life. College is normally a time to find yourself, what you stand for, and what you believe in. It’s also a time to find individuals that share your same passion and make lasting friendships.

Step One: Be true to yourself; College is a time to learn what you believe in, what you stand up for, and experiencing Kierkegaard’s three stages of existence (Lecture 04/23/15). Not only do you learn the components of authenticity, transcendence, and freedom, also known as bad faith and what it is composed of (Lecture 05/28/15), through these stages but you also learn what the meaning of life means to you. There is no one meaning of life, it’s different for every individual and the lesson you take away from experiencing each phase is also different for everyone. Understanding your point of view on what your desires are, good vs. bad, and the concept of the leap of faith are all important stages to go through to learn who you are. Through each phase you learn, grow, and alter your behavior to build off of each layer obtaining experience that will help you find what life means to you and who you believe to be. I find myself in the ethical sphere; making decisions in regards to good and bad on a daily basis just like every college student out there. Especially since college is the first time many people leave home and have to learn how to make their own choices. I was a person that was very influenced by peers, parents, and family members when I was growing up and was never assertive when it came to what I wanted or believed in. Now, after deciding to pick up my life and transfer to Oregon State University I’ve learned to chase after what I want and stand up for what I believe in even if it’s not what my close friends, parents, or majority of individuals stand for.

Step Two: Don’t give in to peer pressure; The largest obstacle I face at OSU is constant peer pressure. But, having the mentality to step back and think about decisions I make prior to making them has allowed myself to avoid making a decision based off of social norms or peer pressure. It’s easy to decide to skip a class or homework to go out with friends, especially when they don’t have any responsibilities to attend to or are avoiding their work too. If I were to avoid my responsibilities I wouldn’t be abiding by my authentic self and in turn would be conforming to Nietzsche concept of “The Herd”. “But it is the crowd which has power, influence, reputation, and domination… which tyrannically overlooks the single individual as the weak and powerless one…” (Kierkegaard “That Crowd is Untruth” pg. 6) Being manipulated by the majority rule of the group would cause myself to not only be inauthentic but also conform to the idea of mindless and thoughtlessly following the group. Peer pressure is a very real concept that causes many individuals to be inauthentic to themselves because they don’t want to go against the grain of the group.

Step Three: Find people who share your passion for life; Everyone has the right to their opinion and humanism (Lecture 05/07/15) is the individual focused philosophy that allows one to pursue their identity and transcendence. Building relationships with individuals who have your same point of view, ideas, and thoughts represent the utilization of one’s freedom. Likewise, this is a representation of ones transcendence and not putting on a metaphorical ‘mask’ to fit into the crowd. When you be true to yourself and don’t give into peer pressure, the third step of finding others like yourself will ensue on it’s own. Living a life with a perspective of reaching optimal authenticity, with others who wish to do the same, is a simple but amazing way to do it. You’ll gain a support system like no other with individuals who wish to accomplish everything you do in life.

Submitted by Nikki Rieken

The idea of  authenticity and “Be Orange” is to be true to yourself, don’t give into peer pressure, and find others who share your passion for life. Not only are we “condemned to be free” in Sartre’s point of view but college is the time to utilize that freedom. Likewise, learning what you stand for and what makes you happy in life is the simple view of the Kierkegaard’s three stages of existence. The concept of authenticity is being genuine and true to oneself in both a philosophical standpoint and a way of approaching obstacles in life. Being authentic is simply being who you really are, which can be extremely difficult when it comes to trying not to conform to influential individuals in ones life. College is normally a time to find yourself, what you stand for, and what you believe in. It’s also a time to find individuals that share your same passion and make lasting friendships.

Step One: Be true to yourself; College is a time to learn what you believe in, what you stand up for, and experiencing Kierkegaard’s three stages of existence. Not only do you learn the components of authenticity, transcendence, and freedom, also known as bad faith and what it is composed of, through these stages but you also learn what the meaning of life means to you. There is no one meaning of life, it’s different for every individual and the lesson you take away from experiencing each phase is also different for everyone. Understanding your point of view on what your desires are, good vs. bad, and the concept of the leap of faith are all important stages to go through to learn who you are. Through each phase you learn, grow, and alter your behavior to build off of each layer obtaining experience that will help you find what life means to you and who you believe to be. I find myself in the ethical sphere; making decisions in regards to good and bad on a daily basis just like every college student out there. Especially since college is the first time many people leave home and have to learn how to make their own choices. I was a person that was very influenced by peers, parents, and family members when I was growing up and was never assertive when it came to what I wanted or believed in. Now, after deciding to pick up my life and transfer to Oregon State University I’ve learned to chase after what I want and stand up for what I believe in even if it’s not what my close friends, parents, or majority of individuals stand for.

Step Two: Don’t give in to peer pressure; The largest obstacle I face at OSU is constant peer pressure. But, having the mentality to step back and think about decisions I make prior to making them has allowed myself to avoid making a decision based off of social norms or peer pressure. It’s easy to decide to skip a class or homework to go out with friends, especially when they don’t have any responsibilities to attend to or are avoiding their work too. If I were to avoid my responsibilities I wouldn’t be abiding by my authentic self and in turn would be conforming to Nietzsche concept of “The Herd”. Being manipulated by the majority rule of the group would cause myself to not only be inauthentic but also conform to the idea of mindless and thoughtlessly following the group. Peer pressure is a very real concept that causes many individuals to be inauthentic to themselves because they don’t want to go against the grain of the group.

Step Three: Find people who share your passion for life; Everyone has the right to their opinion and humanism is the individual focused philosophy that allows one to pursue their identity and transcendence. Building relationships with individuals who have your same point of view, ideas, and thoughts represent the utilization of one’s freedom. Likewise, this is a representation of ones transcendence and not putting on a metaphorical ‘mask’ to fit into the crowd. When you be true to yourself and don’t give into peer pressure, the third step of finding others like yourself will ensue on it’s own. Living a life with a perspective of reaching optimal authenticity, with others who wish to do the same, is a simple but amazing way to do it. You’ll gain a support system like no other with individuals who wish to accomplish everything you do in life.

Submitted By: Hadi Rahal-Arabi

Authenticity has never been universally defined; the definition varies between contemporary philosophers. It is generally agreed upon that to be authentic, one must be representative of their true self (Lecture 5/26/15). However, what it means to represent the true self is up to the interpretation of an individual philosopher. This lack of clarity is not unique: Philosophy has no “correct” answers; several valid but contradictory conclusions exist within the study (Lecture, 4/2/15). For this reason, it is important to assert than any philosophical statement is tied to the philosopher that makes it. Given my interpretation of authenticity, I believe that the only trait required to be authentically Orange is to have a desire to learn.

Regardless of Philosophical opinions, authenticity is a representation of self. However, “Orange”, when used in the context of Oregon State University, refers to a subset of qualities that are indicative of being a student, a member of a group (Lecture, 5/26/15). While community ideals and authenticity are not mutually exclusive traits, group ideals have little bearing on an individual’s authenticity. This can be seen through Sartre’s famous waiter example. In the thought experiment, a waiter acts unauthentically because he is driven to act as a waiter in his daily life (Lecture, 5/26/15). The critical distinction was that the professions is not inherently unauthentic, but the waiter is, due to his prioritization of success over authenticity. If Sartre’s example is extended beyond the waiter and applied to the student body of OSU, it is easy to see that a student who embodies certain qualities exclusively for his student life cannot do so authentically. Sartre has a proposed definition of the self: ”[…]  man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world-and defines himself afterward” (Sartre, Existentialism is Humanism). If we accept this definition, and assume the self is inherent, then acting against the self to adhere to community values e.g. OSU’s, is acting against the self, and is thus unauthentic.

The common counterargument to this definition of authenticity is that the scope is exceptionally narrow. After all, if the definition is so strict, how could anybody ever be authentic? The method of maintaining authenticity while submitting yourself to community values and ideals is simple: community ideals must always be general. In the case of Oregon State University, the student body all maintain a single common ground: they are attending the university to learn. If we begin to apply restrictions to this definition, e.g. authentically orange students must care about their study, we immediately begin to alienate key demographics of the university. This alienation would counteract any positive benefits of the “authentically orange” label, because if it is accepted that to be authentically orange is to act within the bounds of community ideals, no part of the community can be arbitrarily ignored.

The bounds of authenticity within Oregon State must be low, otherwise the label will apply social pressures on the student body to act in ways that are unauthentic to the self. As a student, the limits of being “Authentically Orange” only require you to be a member of the community, and to be authentic to yourself.

Submitted by Kelsey McCall

Student Events and Activities center instigated an idea on the Oregon State campus to unite its students and represent each student’s individuality, while creating a place of acceptance for them as well. Oregon State has a diverse population of students, not just with race, ethnicity, or sexual identification. In fact, Oregon State has a diverse level of involvement from students as well as a variety of student voices on campus. The slogan, “Be Beaver Bold” was originally created in hopes for getting all of these different students to be the best versions of themselves and to accept their peers the way they are as well.

I would argue the Be Beaver Bold slogan endorses being authentic to oneself. That is to say, Be Beaver Bold endorses the idea of acting as yourself and to be no one but your true self. In this, the idea of acceptance is created based on the notion that if everyone is acting as the truest version of themselves, they will seek acceptance in their truest form. If everyone is seeking acceptance in their truest form, we will all grow to accept the truest form of one another and, in turn, Oregon State community will grow. Anyone can be Beaver Bold by acting upon the idea of being the most authentic version of themselves. Students are not fully living and, in fact, acting in bad faith, if they are not being themselves and living authentically (Lecture, 5/26/25).

Becoming an individual in a community of over twenty five thousand students proves to be difficult. Clubs and groups help resolve this sense of not belonging for some, but for others it makes them feel more isolated than before. For many it is unnerving to fall into the herd like mentality of simply going to class every day, eating, doing homework, going to sleep and doing it all again the next day. They wish to be different and defy the herd-like mentality. “Morality is herd instinct in the individual” (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, pg. 116). The moral of the Be Beaver Bold campaign is to give students an outlet to channel the change they want to see at Oregon State into a reality and in turn promote them to act in good faith.

Students on a day to day basis act in bad faith, or in other words they are not living as the truest version of themselves, and are instead acting as something they are not (lecture, 5/28/2015). A student on Oregon State’s campus may find themselves forced to assume the roles and responsibilities of a full time student and they talk to teachers and their peers as if they are only a student. Any given student is not, in fact, just a student, and by assuming the role of only being a student in that moment, they are denying their transcendence by ignoring all that they are aside from their student role.

Perhaps in being a student, one will simultaneously deny their facticity, by ignoring their previous feelings and pretending they don’t exist as they become uncertain of what they seek (lecture, 5/28/2015). This could be shown in the example of a student living in a residence hall being peer pressured to drink alcohol. The student is denying their facticity by saying yes to the pressure when they originally didn’t intend to partake in those activities, but ignored their original feelings because of the events that transpired (lecture, 5/28/2015).

The idea of being the best version of yourself stems from the notion of being bold and standing out as who you are, whether that means throwing on an orange shirt to represent Beaver Nation, or putting on your best attitude in hopes to brighten someone’s day. As displayed in class, the truest form of oneself is quirky, unique, and different from student to student, but the acceptance of their truest form is what truly counts towards developing the authenticity of the Be Beaver Bold campaign and living “Authentically Orange”.

Submitted by Ricky Aguilar
Living an authentically lifestyle, it is when you are the purest form of you that you can be. You do not join the herd as Nietzsche would have said. You don’t just follow the herd mindlessly. You don’t pretend to be someone who you are not. (Lecture 5/28/15)

Now how live authentically Orange. Now most student at OSU fall into transcendence, they act like what other people think they should act. They try their best to act the part, instead of being authentic. For example, students sometime act in bad faith. They act like a typical college students, always partying and never going to classes. (Lecture 6/2/15). Now a way to live authentically, would just be as easy as being yourself. But for a lot of people this can be scary, because of the feeling of being rejected. As Nietzshe said “In doing so we give up our authenticity and adopt morals and traits that may not be our own” (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, pg. 116-119). A way to avoid that would be to, surround yourself with people that will encourage you for being you. This is a good example of the Existential theme 4. (Lecture 5/21/15). Now being in college is a perfect time for living authentically. College is a time to find yourself, to find the purest form of you.

Now being authentically orange, is when you find yourself acting like you and not letting other people choose who you should be. We must always try to live authentically, because it’s the only way to truly be ourselves. But sometimes this can be hard. For example, working at a workplace where they require you dress not to yourself and say things that you would normally say. This could dehumanize ourselves. But if you still act the way that is true to you, you could avoid acting in bad faith. (Lecture 5/28/15). The way I see it, it’s quite simple we should act like kids when we can and act like adults when that’s expected from us. Nietzsche, said that being a child is the purest form of you that you can be. (Lecture 6/4/15). But the problem with this, is that when we are acting like adults. This could be a form of denying facticity, we could be denying the fact that we are not be whom we want to be. I feel that as long as we feel like we are being true to ourselves, we are being authentic.

We need to be nothing but true to ourselves, but also not just do things because other expect us to do them. We should do them because we want to. This can be hard for lots of people, because they are already in the mind set of being in bad faith. This can be hard to break for lots of individuals. But we always have a choice, even when we don’t choice we are choosing not to choose. (Lecture 5/26/15). There is always a choice to be made, but making it is what makes us who we are.

Submitted by Angus Owan Jr.

One of the most complementary sayings that goes with almost every new encounters is, “Don’t worry, just be yourself”. Whether it be meeting a new friend, moving to someplace new, or shaking the president’s hand (maybe not the last one). However, within one moment of our lives we all have gone through encounters that make us nervous, terrified, and uncomfortable. The term authentic coincides with another common saying such as, “be yourself”. On literal terms authentic means not fake, verified, real, etc. So basically if a random person yells to you to “Be Orange,” in authentic terms they are implying that you should be who you truly are. Every time you do something, question yourself if this is truly what you would do. It could be what you wear, how you speak, or how you act. Anything related to yourself, question if (insert your name here) would do this. One of the most significant aspects I’ve learned about being here at Oregon State is that we are allowed to be authentic. We are allowed to be our own individual. We are allowed to truly express ourselves without any judgment or bias directed towards anyone.

When a phrase like, “Be Orange” is brought around to my concern I see it as being who you truly are, be authentic. Corvallis is a community where everyone matters whilst being welcoming to anyone and everyone’s individualism. However, there are obstacles in obtaining authenticity as many philosophers have different terms for this obstacle. Nietzsche calls it, “The Herd” which is basically the same as following what everyone is doing (Lecture 5/5/15). This can become an obstacle in being authentic due to the fact that “The Herd,” could be doing something completely opposite to what you would do. Yet, you will find yourself doing these things because you’re so caught up with “The Herd”. For example, you could be at a party finding yourself drinking and trying to blend in with everyone. However, in all actuality you could possibly hate beer and alcohol in general. Peer pressure adds to this obstacle as it makes us decide whether or not to be authentic. Another example of this obstacle is when Dan came in dressed in a suit (Lecture 5/28/15). I questioned myself as to why he would dress that way. He usually comes in with shorts and a shirt but on that day he came to prove a point. As he took off the suit he revealed that he had his normal clothes underneath them. He used the suit as a symbol to show how everyone (“The Herd”) expects people to come to work. Yet, Dan defies this obstacle everyday by dressing how he wants to because he is his own person, his own individual.

Being authentic is easy to say yet hard to do. Sometimes we become inauthentic in order to please other people. Perfect examples of this are college students. Some college students simply go to college to please others such as their friends or family. Rather than pursuing the future the student wants they could be doing a certain major just to satisfy their parents or others. Gregor in The Metamorphosis is an example of this (Kafka, The Metamorphosis, pg. 1). Gregor doesn’t enjoy his job at all yet he continues it everyday to support his family. In the case of Gregor, he is being inauthentic to himself. He is his own individual just like everyone else and should make his own decisions. Being inauthentic is also known as having bad faith (Lecture 5/26/15). The term “Bad Faith,” means that we deny our own transcendence and do actions just to blend in and feel accepted. Having bad faith in one-self is an obstacle that troubles basically everyone in their daily lives. It could be as complicated as playing a role in one’s job or as simple as procrastination. Overcoming these obstacles is key to becoming authentic here at Oregon State University.

How do we overcome these obstacles you ask? Be yourself. It’s as simple as that. Take risks or “leaps of faith” in order to reach your own state of authenticity (Lecture 4/23/15). No body has the answers except yourself. Do things you want to do and don’t let anyone influence your decisions. College is the perfect place to find out who you are because we have to come to the realization that we are adults now. If you want to party and have fun then so be it. If you want to study hard and get awesome grades than strive for it. You want to do both? Why not. As long as you make that decision with the confidence that you really want to pursue that path then you are being yourself, being authentic, being your own individual. Many paths open up once we become an adult yet no one is going to make the decision for us. You don’t need to follow the herd to be cool or accepted. “Being Orange” is all about being real to yourself here at OSU. Be your own individual. Existentialism is about finding who we truly are and who we want to be. So take this knowledge on being authentic and be YOU! (P.S. GO BEAVERS!)

Drew Bankston

Stephanie Jenkins, T/R

6/12/2015

Being Orange or Being Yourself?

Founded in 1868, Oregon State University has a motto that is to inspire and encourage students, “Be Beaver Bold”. With the alliteration of the “B” and the positive connotation coming from the diction, “Bold”, a daring tone is created. By doing so Oregon State University is challenging students to do their best in their studies. However, they also have another motto, “Be Orange”. What does it mean to, “Be Orange”? Does it mean to wear the color orange, to physically represent the school, or to uphold its values; as the school colors are orange and black? Naturally the first two are encouraged but the most common interpretation is the latter, leading to the question, how do I do that? With over 30,000 students attending Oregon State, there is a diverse and unique community that everyone will find their place in. In order to discover how one can find their place, they must live in an authentic fashion, as well as discover that one cannot just “Be Orange” by attending Oregon State.

First one must define what it means to be authentic. Discussed by many philosophers, authenticity is the act of being oneself and nothing other than oneself. Because we often try to be things that we are not, we are acting in bad faith (Satire, 5/26). For example, a waiter who tries to be the best waiter and only the best waiter is living in bad faith. He is trying to do his job well but is forcing his other aspects of life out. In doing so he is denying his transcendence as a human being and because of this, is living in bad faith. People are more than just one thing, we have both transcendence and facticity referring back to Ortega and the ontological centaur (Man has no Nature, 155). An example of denying facticity is a woman not knowing what she thinks of a man who is flirting with her. She neither addresses nor stops his advances due to her indecisiveness of her feelings. One can deny many of their feelings and can even convince themselves that they are doing the right thing in questionable situations; all of these situations mean that they are living in bad faith. In order to be authentic one must fully embrace one’s own life and ideals, only then will they be truly happy because they are living in and of themselves, free of many of the societal and other pressured constraints that lead to bad faith.

At Oregon State University, one must find their own place, because if they don’t, they can live in bad faith. Some join groups that are too consuming, like Greek life, which can lead to them being unhappy with the denial of transcendence. This is because they are putting almost all of their time into something that they are not fully committed to, rejecting the other aspects of their life, much like the waiter. In doing so, their project of existence (Satire, 4/9) is altered with bad faith, however, one cannot say that they are being molded into something negative because we are Causa Sui to the second power, we make decisions that will change us. But, is this done with the mindset of “presence-at-hand” (Heidegger, 4/16) meaning that they are actively observing the task of our life, or is this done with “readiness-at-hand”, are they just walking through the tasks of becoming a member in their organization, a part of the they, or the herd.

Many things must be observed before one can “Be Orange” and even once they have demonstrated the qualities of that, must constantly make decisions that are consistent with their own ideals and values in order to be happy. In order to “Be Orange”, one must find their own place in the unique community at Oregon State, and, in doing so, represent Oregon State as a whole by adhering to the qualities that are unique to one’s own true self.

Buddy Terry
PH150
Jenkins
10 June 2015
How To: Authentically “Be Orange” in 3 Easy Steps
As Sartre tells us human beings are, “condemned to be free”. We are inherently gifted with the freedom to create and choose our own values and make decisions for ourselves based on what kind of person we wish to be. What separates college from all other environments and forms of education is the freedom of expression we are permitted and the opportunities we are presented to grow and develop as individuals. However we must be wary of the information we allow to influence our self as this information may not directly coincide with our authentic selves. According to Sartre, being authentic is avoiding acting in bad faith; not denying ones facticity or transcendence. Here are a few easy steps to “Be Orange” without becoming a person in college that you feel does not accurately represent your true, authentic self.
Step one; know your purpose on campus and be sure that you are there for yourself, to better yourself and not others. Sartre’s concept of bad faith” tells us that a person can be both the liar and the deceived at the same time by denying their own transcendence (potential future or prospects) or facticity (traits that they already possess that define who they truly are) (lecture 5/12). People at Oregon State are often acting in bad faith when they join a group or clique, such as; a fraternity, sorority, or sports teams for the wrong reasons. These reasons may include but are not limited to a parent or family members expectations (the legacy effect), a desire to fit in to a larger crowd or because that is simply “what people do”. What Sartre would say about a person acting in this way is they are either denying their own transcendence or their facticity. For example the person that joins a fraternity because their parents tell them to is denying their own transcendence and acting in bad faith because they are following expectations that others have for them that they may not have for themselves. And a person who joins a sorority simple to fit in may be denying facticity because that really is not a priority in their college career.
Step two; prioritize, think about what is really most important for you to be happy. Sartre quotes, “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world’ he is responsible for everything he does.” (lecture 5/12)College is the first point in many young-people’s lives where they are truly independent of their families and ae acting on their own. Because of this it is important to realize that while you have ultimate control over your own decisions, you also bear the consequences alone.
Step three; surround yourself with genuine people who share the same passions you do. Nietzsche and Kierkegaard present us with similar concepts regarding the people with which we surround ourselves. “The herd or rabble” as Nietzsche describes is a sickness (Nietzsche The Gay Science 130) . He claims that while surrounding ourselves with a crowd of others could be beneficial, if these people are not acting true to themselves then you too will fall victim to the same fate. Sorin Kierkegaard similarly tells us that “the crowd”: weakens responsibility and makes individual “unrepentant and irresponsible” in his essay “The Crowd is Untruth” (Lecture 5/5).
Obstacle: Although there are many specific obstacles on campus that might affect one’s choices and ability to remain authentic to themselves, there is one that I believe encompasses the greatest majority of these obstacles; third party influence and pressure. I use the phrase “third party” because even though the majority of the people you will be surrounded by on campus are your peers, they are not the only ones that will be influencing your decisions, in both indirect and direct manors. Professors are a major influence, as it is their job to every day challenge your current ideology and at times even your most core beliefs. In this situation it is up to you to understand what knowledge you wish to believe and take in. Families are another major obstacle, and although they may be off campus, they are still and indirect pressure. Living one’s life to satisfy another is a prime example of acting in bad faith and denying one’s authenticity. Just like the waiter that tries too hard to be a waiter to please his patrons, you too would be denying who you are to please you family.
I hope that this how to guide will help you in your quest to remain authentic while still being orange.