Authentic Orange

Submitted by Taylor McEuin

Going to college and living on campus can come with many roadblocks and finding yourself can be one of them. Being authentic in a mass of people can be difficult, and at times, may seem impossible. But what does it mean to be authentic? Merriam-Webster.com defines authentic as “real or genuine: not copied or false. True and accurate.”  To fully answer the question “what does it mean to authentically, Be Orange” we must also understand what it mean to be Orange. As a member of the OSU community, I define “Being Orange” as simply, being an active student/faculty member of the Oregon State community. Using existential themes from many different philosophers, you can become an authentic Oregon State student.

Existential theme number one is existence precedes essence. It states that what you are is a result of your choices and you become who you make yourself to be (lecture 5/21/15). Your life is a project. College is a big part of this project that’s going to take a lot of rough drafts, erasing and changing but it’s what you make of it that makes you authentic. Spanish philosopher Jose Ortega states life is “an attempt to carry out a definite program or project of existence.” (“Man has no Nature” pg.154). When we become college students we are attempting our first project to start our whole lives and what we do with it is up to us.

Existential theme number two is existence is temporal. We students only have a minimal amount of time here at school, so we have to plan and get things done before our time as a college student is up and we are pushed into the world. The book The Sickness Unto Death states “Man is a synthesis of the infinite and the finite, of the temporal and the eternal, of freedom and the necessity, in short he is a synthesis.” (pg. 70). The fact that college is only temporal puts us under a lot of pressure and gives us a minimal amount of time to find a way to be authentic to ourselves. Four years is only a small fraction in our life time so we have to make use of the time we have.

Existential theme number three is humanism. People express and carry themselves in many different ways based on the pursuit of freedom and identity. College helps us find who we are and lets us explore things we never thought was out there. One great example is dorm living. We meet new people, live with new people, go to new classes that we are not used to. All in order to show us what path we want to pursue.

Ultimately, life is a canvas and we are the artist and it all begins with the color orange. There are many hoops to jump though and roads to cross but taking into consideration these existential themes and realizing that you are already authentic can help you become the person you want to be in the future. The Authentic You. The Orange You.

Submitted by Bailey Wood

You don’t hear the term “Authentic Orange” until you come to Oregon State University. The definition for “authentic” is “not false or copied; genuine; real” (dictionary.com). Therefore, “Authentic Orange” means to be your truest self. Many of us come to college thinking we already live an authentic life and that we have it all figured out, but it’s during this time that we realize we couldn’t be more wrong. There are five themes of existentialism that we all should be aware of because they can greatly help us grow into our genuine selves.

The first theme is that existence precedes essence. (Lecture, 4/14/15). The main idea of this theme is that what you are (your essence/nature) is a result of your choices (your existence/extra-nature). This theme ties into “Authentic Orange” because when you come to college, people don’t know your past; therefore you can have a fresh start. Your essence is not your fate, you are who you make yourself to be. You can use this new start to your benefit – be kind to everyone, be honest, and be who you truly want to be!

The second theme is that existence is temporal. (Lecture, 4/14/15). We are only on this earth for a finite period of time, and throughout our life we choose how it is spent. We can ignore things with distractions, avoid the afterlife with life extension technology, or allow ourselves to experience every event even if we feel fear or anxiety. At some point or another we practice every action whether it’s ignoring, avoiding, or experiencing. Each action we make affects our future decisions, and we either get closer to becoming our true selves, or stray farther away.

The third theme is humanism. (Lecture, 5/7/15). This is an individual focused philosophy including the pursuit of identity/freedom, and the values/meaning in opposition to social, political, and economic pressure for conformity. It seems as though the main reason we are afraid to be our genuine selves is the pressure from society to conform into someone we are not. We are terrified of being divergent from society, so we try to blend in. College is about finding yourself, so instead of trying to blend in, be yourself and stand out! You will surely find other unique individuals that are much more engaging and intriguing to be around than just your average Joe. You’re more likely to find out who you truly are if you surround yourself with these enthralling individuals. “By means of morality, individuals are led to be functions of the herd and to attribute value to themselves merely as functions.” (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, pg. 116). Nietzsche explains the “herd” as a sickness; we are only valuable as part of the herd, and weak as an individual. While there may be a plethora of diverse moralities, we are still a part of a herd, and cannot stand out by ourselves. Society has conformed us to be part of a group, rather than have the confidence to be unique.

The fourth theme is ethics. (Lecture, 5/7/15). Ethical considerations are vital, this includes varying ethics, shared commitment to authentic living as individuals/society, and a commitment to politics. Stay true to your beliefs, don’t let others opinions on a subject change what you truly feel is right. If you allow others to influence your beliefs, you will lose that authenticity. Eventually you could become just another brainwashed college student that doesn’t stand out. If it’s on a topic such as voting in politics, laws, etc., first do the research yourself before you ask others their opinion. This will prevent your beliefs from being swayed one way or the other before you know all the facts.

The fifth theme is freedom. (Lecture, 5/7/15). Philosophy of freedom includes reflection, transcendence, and responsibility. We are free to create and choose our values. Freedom is “self-surpassing”, meaning that there is a part of you who is undefined, and unknown. Throughout life you are always moving forward, trying to find yourself.

College is the most important time in our lives because it is then that we learn more about ourselves and who we truly are. It’s crucial that we take these themes into account when we strive to being “Authentic Orange”!

Submitted by Eric Nygren

Here at Oregon State University the students, faculty and alumni pride themselves on their effort to “Be Orange”. However, many people have different opinions on what it means to authentically “Be Orange”. For some people, being orange means showing up to as many sporting events as possible to support the school’s athletic teams. For others, being orange means becoming involved in the many extracurricular opportunities offered at Oregon State. Can either be said to be the one authentic way to “Be Orange”? Let us start by defining what authenticity is, before applying this concept to the idea of being orange.

What is authenticity? 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. Thereby, a person who is authentically being orange is one to whom being orange is their true self, or at least part of their true self. However, as Nietzsche puts it: “Man has an invincible inclination to allow himself to be deceived.” (Nietzsche, Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense). There are those out there who have allowed themselves to think that what they are doing to “Be Orange” is authentic to them, when in reality it is not. An example of this might be if someone goes to a football game to cheer on Oregon State, even though they do not particularly enjoy sporting events and do not care for football at all. They would be denying their own facticity by supporting a program they care nothing about, a form of bad faith (Lecture 5/26/15). Alternatively, they could also have shown bad faith by denying their own transcendence if they had told themselves the reason they were going was because they actually enjoy the sporting event, since it benefits the university (Lecture 5/26/15). If that same person were to be authentic to themselves, they would not have gone to the sporting event and instead maybe have gone to a club meeting, or done some other activity which would have benefitted the university just as much.

Now comes the question of how one may authentically “Be Orange”. It appears to be generally accepted within the community at Oregon State that to “Be Orange” means to show support for the university and its programs. In this way, it could be said that being orange refers to performing an action which directly benefits the school. How does one authentically provide benefit to Oregon State University? There are many different ways to do so, a few of which have already been mentioned. In addition to these, other possible ways to “Be Orange” include: monetary donations to the university, participating in an event which brings notoriety and respect to the university and its programs, providing scholarship money to individuals attending Oregon State, and lastly being a successful and well-respected alumnus within society so as to bring recognition through one’s own actions.

All of the aforementioned ways to “Be Orange” are certainly ways that any person may accomplish, but in order for them to be authentic, they must be reflective of that person’s true self. If a person does not enjoy an action they take to “Be Orange” then they are not being authentic to themselves. A person must freely take actions to “Be Orange”, otherwise they are not holding themselves responsible to their authentic self.

Submitted by Alyssa Sasaki

Authenticity is the act of becoming who that individual is. Therefore, being authentic is being that individual as well as knowing exactly who that individual is. Sartre discussed authenticity and the concept of “bad faith.” Essentially, this would be the opposite of authenticity. Bad faith is in one way or another, “lying” to ourselves or others about who we are and may/will become (Lecture, 6/04). Bad faith is also described by Nietzche as either denying transcendence or denying facticity. This would mean denying the truth of a situation in various ways (Lecture, 5/26/15). It is easy to see that by being an OSU student, surrounded by a sea of 25,000 other students, it may be difficult at times to become an individual within this community. By following this “how-to” guide on living authentically as an OSU student, you will not only be able to live and be authentically “orange”, but can use the skills taught to also be authentically you.

Step #1: In being authentically orange and authentically you, you will need to become an individual. To do this, you need to know yourself. As cliché as that sounds, this is the whole idea behind authenticity. This will enable you to experience your college years alongside people that will only assist you in your authenticity. Nietzche talks about stages of becoming an individual by making each stage a certain animal (Lecture, 04/04/15). He starts off by using a camel as the first stage; It is an animal used mostly to carry people’s belongings. The next stage is represented by the lion who may sometimes be forced to do tasks (such as perform in a circus), but is always, in theory, saying “no” and is ready to kill when focus and attention is lost. He says that the last stage is that of a child. Children are not responsible and do not have freedom, yet are constantly acquiring the capacity for rational thought. They are the last stage of becoming an individual (Nietsche, On Truth and Lie is an Extra-Moral Sense, ch.1). Individuality can be difficult in a community such as Oregon State, or any college for that matter. It is more than easy to get lost in trying to become someone we may believe this community sees as better, despite the fact that we are not being authentic. To overcome this obstacle, one can embody the spirit of a child, or at least how Nietzche sees children. They are open and intrigued by many things, saying “yes” instead of “no” like the lion. They have also not yet learned about the appeals to authority and are driven by their own thoughts and power, strengthening their individuality (Lecture, 06/04/15). The college community may make it somewhat difficult to become an individual, but this obstacle can be overcome by following these steps, dictated by Nietzche.

Step #2: The next step to authenticity is to find people that help you grow and develop authentically. The people you surround yourself with will either make or break your journey to authenticity. The tricky part with finding those people in a place so densely populated, is knowing who you will be able to connect with who would hinder your journey. This relays off of step #1, in becoming an individual. The course to individuality will be necessary to complete before step #2 so that the individual knows themselves and the type of people who will only better them and their authenticity. Franz Kafka talked about Metamorphosis with a man named Gregor Samsa. One night, Gregor went to bed as a man, and in the morning, woke up as an insect. His soul, personality, goals, passion, all of that, did not change. The only thing that was different about him was his physical body. It was not long before his family did not care about him and in the end, were actually relieved to have him gone. His whole life, Gregor was unappreciated by those around him. He worked extremely hard for his family and wasted his freedom on a job he hated, to receive no positivity from those around him (Kafka, Metamorphosis, ch. 2 & 3). Gregor Samsa was inauthentic in both his human and insect life. He did not have the support, positivity and connection with/from those around him to find his individuality and reach authenticity. By first becoming an individual and then continuing with step #2, you will be that much closer to living authentically.

Step #3: This last step will come naturally, as it seems to be innate for human beings to adapt and develop into the environment in which they are put. Being authentically orange means to make the most of your time as an OSU student. It means to take advantage of the countless opportunities and experiences the school, community and people have to offer. Orange is something that defines and characterizes Oregon State. Being authentic to this school and your role as a student, incorporates doing all that there is as a student, that is also authentically you. By first becoming an individual and then surrounding yourselves with those who have also put a grasp on their individuality, your human instinct and capabilities will continue to lead you to being authentically orange and authentically you.

Francesca Lee

In order to properly describe what it means to be “authentically orange,” we must first find the definition of authenticity. The word “authentic” is described as “not false or copied; genuine; real” (Dictionary). Oregon State University prides itself on diversity and equality, and to me, this is what it means to be orange. My draw to Oregon State is not the sports, or the Greek Life, but to the idea that everyone in Corvallis matters, and everyone at Oregon State is allowed to be themselves, and the most authentic version of themselves.
To be authentically orange is, to me, to be yourself. Attending Oregon State has taught me that above all else, I must be the truest version of myself that I can be. Often times, we see that those who live as their authentic selves are the ones who attract the most criticism. It is my thought, however, that this criticism stems from the longing from all people for the courage to be authentic. Nietzsche claims in On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense that “We still do not know where the urge for truth comes from; for as yet we have heard only of the obligation imposed by society that it should exist; to be truthful means using the customary metaphors…” (Nietzsche, 10). In saying this, Nietzsche relays the point that we do not know why we long for truth, yet being truthful is the custom of society. Thus, we lie unconsciously. To be authentic is to me, to understand ones lies, and then to find ones truths.
I have found that one of the most difficult places to become an individual is when one is growing up in an environment where one is taught what to think, say, and be, and therefore individuality is slowly stripped away. In my own experience, it has been particularly difficult becoming an individual up until my move to Corvallis for university. Attending private Christian schools for seventeen years made it difficult to be an individual, because I knew that I was supposed to be like everyone else. I believe that being authentic, and being an individual, is something that one can only do for themselves. It is difficult to find yourself, when you are told who you are. Camus states that the most complicated question in life is whether or not to kill oneself. He discusses the Myth of Sisyphus and how in this situation of the absurd, one can either kill themselves, find hope through external means, or to find hope in the absurdity. I believe that it is possible to find hope in the absurdity of life, and I believe that this hope offers the chance for one to be their authentic self. It allows for an individual to know themselves, without being told who they are.
To conclude, Simone de Beauvoir asks in his conclusion of The Ethics of Ambiguity, “is this kind of ethics individualistic or not?” He then answers his question simply, “Yes, if one means by that that it accords to the individual an absolute value that it recognizes in him alone the power of laying foundations of his own existence” (Beauvoir, 1). I believe that this sentence describes the essence of individualism in that it shows that humanity has the power to fulfill and bring meaning to his own existence. Above all, I believe that being authentically orange means to be ones most authentic self. Sartre, Beauvoir, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger all give meaningful glances into what authenticity really is.

Submitted by Steven Swanson

Authenticity. Many people think that they have it, but only a few really do. To be authentic is to be your true self and not what others want you to be. It’s a journey from leaving (as philosopher Nietzsche call it) the herd and entering a state of true individualism. It’s anything but an easy journey though. It can be very challenging and full of doubt and troubles. But it is a possible transition that can be made with enough determination and enough will power.

As College students, we are told to pick majors that will ultimately make us successful in our future lives. That money and success are the keys to happiness. As my philosophy class discussed there is a benchmark image of a successful person. They wear a nice suit, have a  clean professional haircut, and look almost as if they are the CEO of a company (lecture 5/28/15). That’s what the media and society want us to believe in college so that we will become that. But what if that’s not how you want your life to end up?

Being authentic with ourselves in college is a huge part of deciding the outcome of our own futures. As philosopher Simone Beauvoir said “To re-establish man at the heart of his destiny…He bears the responsibility for a world which is not the work of a strange power, but of himself, where his defeats are inscribed, and his victories as well” (The Ethics of Ambiguity: Ambiguity and Freedom). In college you can choose what to study. You may fail a class and then you may get an “A” another. That’s all part of finding what you truly want to do. Finding the classes that interest you and make you want to continue learning the information that they have to offer. In order to reshape your destiny from what society says you should become, you need to know what you want to become. You should decide your own future.

With any kind of life journey, there will be obstacles to overcome. ONe of which, and probably the largest one, will be your own parents. Almost all parents want their children to be happy. They also want their children to have stable future jobs and be able to take care of themselves when they get older. If you were to go and say to your parents that you want to persue your dream of a major in liberal arts (which according to the website TheSimpleDollar.com is one of the ten least successful majors to graduate with) they may go against you. This is a pivotal moment of freedom and authenticity. You can make the choice to side with your parents, and live in bad faith (Lecture 5/26/15)  by choosing to go against your true wants and desires, or you can be authentic and pursue what makes you happy. You have the freedom to make either choice, it all depends on how you want to live your life.

It’s very important that you are completely honest with yourself during the transitioning of becoming authentic. To not live in bad faith by denying your transcendence as a student (Lecture 6/2/15) and telling yourself that there is no way that you can change. Because you can. You can be authentic. Simone Beauvoir has another quote that states “…the fact remains that we are absolutely free today if we choose to will our existence in its finiteness, a finiteness which is open on the infinite” (The Ethics of Ambiguity). You have the power to be what you want to be. To form your destiny to how you want it to be shaped. The possibilities are endless. It’s all in how you choose the events that precede the outcome. So don’t be a sheep in a herd, conforming to how society wants you to end up. Be your authentic self and live your life how you want it to be lived.

Submitted by Nikki Rieken

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. The idea of  authenticity and “Be Orange” is to make decisions for yourself and base those decisions off of your own thoughts and beliefs. College is normally a time to find yourself, what you stand for, and what you believe in. Making decisions based solely off of what you believe to be true and right, and dealing with the consequences or rewards from said decisions are the foundation of becoming your own self. Bad faith, spheres of existence, humanism, freedom, and Nietzsche concept of “The Herd” are all notions from course content that directly relate to my ideology of “Be Orange” and living authentically.

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. But, by doing so one isn’t utilizing their right to transcendence and humanism.

Everyone has the right to their opinion and humanism is the individual focused philosophy that allows one to pursue their identity and transcendence. Having the freedom to be who you wish to be and make your own decisions is what makes them individually authentic to who they truly are. 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. Being my own authentic ‘superhero’ and having the mentality that I can do anything I set my mind to has allowed myself to be who I want to be and accomplish what I wish to in life without the need for help or reassurance that I’m making the right decision. Having the freedom to be me is the epitome of what I wanted my life to be. But, freedom isn’t the only concept that you need to achieve the idea of your authentic self, transitioning through the spheres of existence also plays a major role.

Satisfying immediate desires, learning good vs. evil, and the experiencing the leap of faith are the basic ideas that are encompassed in the three spheres that every individual needs to experience to find meaning in life. Having an encounter with each of the three phases, sometimes more than once, is the learning process of life and in turn understanding your authentic self. 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. Choosing between homework or a party, visiting family or hanging out with friends, etc. Likewise, by experiencing all three spheres one learns the concepts of facticity, transcendence, and authenticity and how they make up bad faith. Bad faith is the idea that one is being inauthentic to themselves and not taking advantage of one of the three concepts above. Being true to oneself is authenticity in a nutshell and a lifelong path that every individual embarks upon.

Submitted by Nathan Harlan,

Being orange authentically is a goal for most of us attending Oregon State. This goal however means different things to different people, which is obvious or it wouldn’t be authenticity. This can present a special kind of struggle because we have to define authenticity for ourselves. I think that Kierkegaard does the best job at explaining this for me so I will look to his work to find an answer. Kierkegaard defined this as becoming aware of ones true self, there are two main parts that encompass what it means to be human for Kierkegaard, the finite and the infinite. The finite is the earthly, the body that is temporal. While the infinite is the spiritual, the eternal, it is forever. Kierkegaard was a Christian man who believed in life after this one, unlike some other philosophers, so to him it was obvious that the eternal plays a part in becoming authentic. Although having finite and infinite realities of life for every person, not everyone acknowledges both of them. Kierkegaard calls this despair, and he names three types of this “despair”(Lecture 4/21/15). The first is not to be conscious of having self, although he acknowledges that this is not truly despair because ignorance is bliss, this means that the individual is not aware of the struggle between the finite and the infinite. That is the worst kind. The second is not to will to be one’s self this is to be aware of the tension but to deny either the finite or the infinite, to deny either would be inauthentic. the third and final despair is to will to be one’s self, this is the acceptance of both the finite and the infinite, but it is to try and make the finite infinite by works done in this world. These are all ways to be inauthentic, but we have not yet defined what it means to be authentic. To be true to one’s self sounds good but we want to go deeper so we can aim to do it. After this point the definition of authenticity is different for everyone. Kierkegaard had three spheres of existence that authenticity can be partially found in the aesthetic sphere, the ethical sphere, or the religious sphere(Lecture 4/23/15 slides 1-11). The aesthetic sphere is living for self and seeking pleasure and adventure for self. The ethical sphere is doing what is “right” this could mean by the law or even by a religion if that is the law you follow. The religious sphere is different than the ethical sphere and can fit with it but also override it. To me, being authentic is trying to live in the religious sphere, because I am Christian and I choose to live that way, although many times I do not live up to that expectation of myself a lot of the time, but that is expected and forgiven in my religion. Religion is maybe not the best word for it though, because as Kierkegaard said, the religious sphere is a personal passionate relationship with the living God of the universe(Lecture 4/23/15 slides 12-15), to me it is not adequate to call it religion. Maintaining that relationship by choice of my own is what it means for me to be authentic.

Now that I have my definition of authenticity for me laid out and clear, I can look at how I plan on going about becoming authentic. There are some obstacles that I have already ran into and that I will continue to face while trying to authentically be orange and Christian. The challenges I face are similar to the ones that anyone trying to be authentic, no matter what that means,  would face. That obstacle is the temptation to conform to ” The Herd”. This herd instinct for Nietzsche, is the very thing that I want to towards being! Nietzsche says that Religion and morality creates a herd mentality of all of use thinking the same way, he thinks this because he did not believe in a god or in absolute truth(Nietzsche, The Gay Science, pg. 130). I believe that there is such a thing as absolute truth, and that it comes from God. I want to work towards living out that truth in my own authentic way and if Nietzsche would call that the herd mentality then I would love to join the herd!  However, to me, the herd mentality to avoid is the mentality in the world. The partying and drinking that is basically expected from college students is the mentality of the crowed that Kierkegaard speaks of as untruth(Kierkegaard, The crowed is untruth, link 5/5/15). It is tempting to conform to fit in and have a good time, but this would not be authentic for me because I would be partying to hang out with others, to fit in, to join “The crowed” as I would define it.

This struggle to be authentic will continue for the rest of my life and the best way to deal with it will be to take it day by day and be true to the person I choose to be. After doing that, what more is there to do?

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.

Submitted by: Grady Titus

The word authenticity can mean something different for everyone. Everyone has their own opinion and understanding on what it means to be authentic. While most people have different ways of describing what it means to be authentic and to live authentically, most of them would agree that it defined somewhere along the lines of being yourself and doing what makes you happy.  Most people would agree with the definition of authenticity as the act of being true to oneself and acting and presenting oneself in accordance to your own individual beliefs. Oregon State’s slogan, “Be Orange”, ties in closely with the idea of authenticity and living an authentic life.

To “Be Orange” one must be themselves at Oregon State. It is to be true to their own values and beliefs while being at and attending Oregon State University.  However, some find it difficult to be their authentic selves while attending Oregon State and they struggle to “Be Orange”.  With almost 30,000 students enrolled at Oregon State University, it can be difficult to be authentic when there are so many other people around influencing one’s authenticity.  An individual might feel constantly surrounded and never feel fully on their own. They feel like they are in a crowd or in a herd.

Nietzsche writes about this herd feeling in his novel, The Gay Science. One specific topic that he writes about is herd instinct. Nietzsche writes, “…We find an assessment and ranking of human drives and actions. These assessments and rankings always express the needs of a community and herd:whatever profits it in the first place-and in the second and third-is also the supreme measure of the value of all individuals.” (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, pg. 116). College students may worry too much about ranking their achievements or activities instead of focusing on being authentic. They may rank how good their grades are compared to others, if they are joining the highest ranked fraternity or sorority house on campus, or ranking how many friends they make. This herd becomes almost a “sickness” (Lecture, 5/5/15). These rankings can easily lead to one not being authentic and living authentically as well as not “Being Orange”.

Kierkegaard also writes about a similar herd mentality that Nietzsche wrote about. He writes about “the crowd”, “There is a view in life which holds that where the crowd is, the truth is also, that it is a need in truth itself, that it must have the crowd on its side. There is another view in life; which holds that wherever the crowd is, there is untruth, so that, for a moment to carry the matter out to its farthest conclusion, even if every individual possessed the truth in private, yet if they came together into a crowd, untruth would be once let in.” (Kierkegaard, The Crowd is Untruth, pg. 1). With a crowd as big as 30,000 people at Oregon State, there is bound to be a lot of untruth, according to Kierkegaard.  This untruth makes an individual “unrepentant and irresponsible” (Lecture, 5/5/15).  With a crowd so large it becomes difficult to be responsible for being one’s authentic self.

Some believe that one must transform themselves into their own authentic self. This comes from Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis, and the transformation between body and self. (Lecture, 6/4/15). I take away from this story that in order to be authentic, one must transform themselves. When people come to college, they change. Whether it’s how they look or act. They slowly transform into a new and more authentic person. To “Be Orange” one must transform themselves into the authentic person that they are meant to be and that will make them happy.