Authentic Orange

Submitted by Lucy Pletman

Authenticity can mean many different things to different people, but is defined as the act of being true to oneself and acting and presenting oneself in accordance to your own individual beliefs. Philosophically being authentic can take on a much deeper meanings; Kierkegaard defined it as finding your own truths and meaning in life through an individual relationship with god and not the through the crowd, Nietzsche believed it to be not allowing the power of the majority to think for you and to decide your own morals and existential truths and lastly Heidegger believed it can be choosing to take a step back from our everyday reality in the large collective body of people to look at ourselves and our lives in relationship to our unavoidable death.

To me authenticity is arguably a combination of these; authenticity is like Kierkegaard said a matter of finding ones truth, “Truth is harder to get as an individual of a crowd because you either defer responsibilities of finding truth to the crowd or let the crowd make choices for you” (Lecture 5/5/2015). However, truth like Nietzsche says isn’t through god, and religion can be seen as a sickness because it is another form of grouping people together and when grouping others together the thoughts and behaviors of an individual are put below those of the groups and the pressure to conform doesn’t allow you to be authentic to yourself. He says in the gay science “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). So in order to be authentic to oneself one must not look at themselves as a function of a group but as an individual. An unavoidable fact of like that Nietzsche and Kierkegaard miss however is, “People and the crowd are an unavoidable component of human existence” (Lecture 5/5/2015). Knowing that collective bodies of people and being a part a group is an unavoidable obstacle to becoming an individual within your community.

So with that being said it is arguable that all of these philosophers are right in different ways, but they are all wrong as well. If the core idea of being authentic to oneself is finding your own truths, than the truth behind the definition of being authentic is entirely subject to an individual. With this idea it is important to note however, that even though every definition of truth and authenticity is different for an individual, being authentic to oneself is something completely subjective and should be decided on as an individual. The struggle behind being authentic to oneself today comes from the fact that like Heidegger said we are unavoidably a collective group of people, and it is much easier to differ the responsibility of deciding what our existential truths our and the true meaning of our being to the collective group of others. However, how can you be authentic to yourself if you just choose to believe and follow the truths of others? “A crowd is indeed made up of single individuals; it must therefore be in everyone’s power to become what he is, a single individual: no one is prevented from being a single individual, no one, unless he prevents himself by becoming many” (Kierkegaard, The Crowd Is Untruth, pg. 3). Even though no individual is prevented from being an individual, finding truth and meaning in life is an obstacle that cannot be given.

This is the reason that Nietzsche believes that god is untruth, “Even being able to say that religion can be interpreted takes away from the truth of it, and if religion is a human construct then there is no absolute truth” (Lecture 04/28/2015). In saying that religion is a human construct means that it could be constructed in many different ways. Meaning there is no absolute meaning of truth, which goes back to the fact that truth and meaning are subjective and absolute truth is something you choose. So those that choose to believe that god is absolute truth have made the choice to believe in another constructed idea of truth, but the truth they have chosen to believe in is not one of their own, their meaning and beliefs are given to them. Ultimately however, those around us and their beliefs are unavoidable and finding what it means to be authentic to oneself means you have to take a step back from the group to decide what your meanings and truths are.

Recognizing our unavoidable death in order to help us realize what it means to be authentic and the importance of living this short subjective experience of life true to who we are is a truth in defining what it means to you, to be orange.

Submitted by Caleb Carroll

Authenticity. The word is derived from the word authentic which, by definition, is of undisputed origin and genuine. From a philosophical standpoint the definition does not change much at all. Essentially to be authentic is to be yourself without being influenced by others. Even though this is true, many people often times become engulfed in their surroundings and become of it. Their actions and feelings are often swayed from what they really are so they are more likely accepted by those around them. In today’s world, the best and most likely way to fit in is to conform to what the world believes you should be. This is the “right” thing to do. To do anything that goes against what is commonplace in the world would be classified as “wrong.” But instead of conforming, people should ask themselves why a feeling has to be right or wrong when in reality it’s just how one feels. Noting more. Nothing less. It is impossible for you to be “Authentically Orange” if your life and the decisions you make are controlled by your fear of judgment. And unfortunately this has become the majority of the world. Countless numbers of people have become fraudulent. A facade if you will. Or as Soren Kierkegaard has said, “the crowd” is untruth (Kierkegaard, The Crowd is Untruth).
When I look out into the crowd I see an ocean of despair. Thousands upon thousands of people shackled and enslaved to be that which someone else says they should be. The situation I mentioned in the first paragraph is, in my eyes, one of three types of Despair mentioned by Kierkegaard. Despair Not to be Conscious of Having a Self (Lecture, 4/21/15). This particular type of despair is the worst type of despair. And I do not say this simply because Kierkegaard said so. I say this because those who are going through this despair are slaves to the world and are completely unaware of it. No originality. No self-made thoughts. Practically no soul. Just a computer made of flesh that has been programmed to be what it is. These people are lacking in two crucial existential themes. The first being humanism (Lecture, 5/19/15). The people I have been describing throughout this essay have yet to pursue their own identity and freedom. The pressure and thought of exclusion from society is too heavy a load to bear. In turn they stay stuck in a box. This brings me to the other existential theme these people are lacking in. Freedom (Lecture, 5/21/15). As I just stated these people are trapped in society’s box. This box is very easy to escape from but on the inside it looks quite splendid. Those who leave are looked at as the odd, the outcasts, the peculiar, the strangers. They are anomalies. Those who have deviated from the common rule. And from the outside looking in they can see the horrid prison like structure that is society’s box. Satre would say that these people, these anomalies, are choosing self, choosing for all humans (Lecture, 5/21/15).
In short, to be the authentic you, you have to do what you want to do without fear of being judged for it. Be happy and proud of who you are. No matter what anyone might say or think you must continue to do that which you love. That which brings you joy. As long as you do not infringe on others to do so, be who you truly are. Anyone who tells you to do otherwise is likely too scared to do what you are doing. So instead they tell you what to do if they were you. Trust yourself and chase your dreams.

Submitted By Sean Prior

Be yourself. Words I have heard many times from my mother growing up. As a kid you don’t think much more into that thought. As a junior in college I can think a little deeper now. It brings up a question, who is myself? What would Sean Prior do? How does one be authentic? When in the situation, do I do what my mom said I should do, or do I make my own judgement call and find out for myself. There is a moment of ambiguity. Do I act upon how I was told to handle a situation and let that define me? I think I’m going to experiment and decide what I would do after I’ve a trial run. I think that to be an authentic OSU student is to guide your choices and invest your time based on your wants with input from many un-invested guides. Here are my four tips how to live authentically

Human Reality is Ontologically Ambiguous (PP 4-9-15, 17/22).  Based on Sartre’s reading we have two thoughts. One is Being-in-itself, which is the facticity of the situation. And Being –for-itself is the transcendence of the situation. The facticity is why you are in college and how you got here. Tip #1 Do what you enjoy doing, but in some sense you must conform to the school standards. I’ll use myself as an example. I’m here because neither of my parents went to college so I grew up with the expectation of going to college because based on their life experience it was needed to make more money. Now who was I to say no to this as a naïve high schooler?  Once I got here I was free from them. Now everything was my choice, what to study, when to go to bed, what to do all night. My freedom and consciousness said to have fun and ignore responsibility. But the facticity of the situation was that I had committed to paying lots of money and going to class. You can’t stay in school and be free if you aren’t passing classes. Sartre compares us to Ontological Centaurs (pp 4-9-15 19/22.) Being in situation, to be successful you must manage your Transcendence with your Facticity and balance them so that you stay happy but also keep afloat among school expectations.

Tip #2 Find friends that let you be you, and sometimes doing something you want to do, alone, is more satisfying than pretending to like something. “Do what you must, come what may.” (The Ethics of Ambiguity, Simone de Beauvoir 1947.)  I like this because it is impossible to find someone who is going to do life exactly like you. If you want to sleep all day spend the wee hours of the morning at the library and drink the weekend away. Go for it. You are sure to meet people along the way. Compartmentalize your friend groups and know who to call to do what.

Tip #3 Be the Hero of your own Story and achieve your goals. We recall the myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. Sisyphus is condemned to rolling a rock up the mountain only to have it roll back down. But see him as the Absurd Hero. He reaches his goal every day. Can you say that about yourself? It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do it.

Tip #4 Do everything with an intention of bringing happiness. No one likes to be sad, angry, or upset. I can honestly say I don’t. Think about Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence (pp 6-2-15 12/17.) If you knew you had to live your life out again numerous times without change how would you live it, knowing that you are writing the script as you read this? Would you change your ways and be more optimistic and worry less. I think so. In the You tube series 8-bit titled Time is a Flat Circle? (Nietzsche + Mega Man) Nietzsche’s schemed up a person who is strong enough to deal with the hardships and remain with a positive outlook on life. One who can do this is called an Ubermensch. That is what you must aspire to.

My final words are use these tips or not, I don’t care, it really doesn’t affect me, but please be yourself.

Submitted by Kassie Morrison

To be authentic is the ability to live out your own life, to embrace yourself, your abilities, your passions, and strive to be your truest self no matter the obstacles you may face in life. To be authentically orange means to apply this authenticity to your life amidst the Oregon State beaver community, taking pride in who you are and the environment you are helping to create.

This authenticity is of utmost importance as it shapes your individuality and entire means of existence. As noted by Simone de Beauvoir in 1947 in Ethics of Ambiguity, this authentic stance on ethics is individualistic as it carves out your individual’s “absolute value…[and] the power of laying the foundations of [your] own existence” (Beauvoir). The “Orange” aspect of being authentic is also of significance as someone’s authenticity isn’t just shaped by their true individuality, but how they can apply that truth to their surroundings. This application includes humanism towards all beings, holistic embodiment within a community, and pure compassion.

As we journey through our years at Oregon State University we can practice these forms of Orange Authenticity among friends and classmates, group project members, the individuals we pass in the MU quad, and in every passing moment of our college careers to the ends of our existence. Humanism is a solid note on how to practice authenticity, in his piece Black Skin, White Masks, Frantz Fanon explains how “Man is a Yes: Yes to life, Yes to love, and Yes to generosity”  while “Man is also a No: No to scorn of man. No to degradation of man. No to exploitation of man” (lecture 5/19). So, humanism celebrates the relationship we have with one another and the ways we can express that bond, while also noting that dehumanization is what tears that relationship apart. This connection among people is also a great sustainable source of happiness as it graces us with a sense of worthiness, love and belonging, and moments of vulnerability to gain trust in others (lecture 5/28). We are all given the opportunity to express this compassion and authenticity in our lives, we just have to stand up and take responsibility for being a part of the society we create and we will know what it means to lead authentic lives.

But the ability to stand up may be the hardest part of living a complete and authentic life, as there may be a number of obstacles that need to be challenged. While I’m sure the majority of people believe they are living in good faith, accepting and embracing your transcendence and facticity (lecture 5/26), I think there is always room for improvement. For one, facing obstacles head on and deciding that they do not have control over who you are. Some of these obstacles may include; not living out who you are in entirety for fear of being judged by others and society’s opinions, this sort of mentality was noted by Nietzche as “the heard”, having to look or act a specific way to fall in line with the majority of a society (lecture 5/28). Other obstacles may include not putting in the effort to go out of your way to express compassion towards others, smiling or saying hello when passing someone on the street in order to acknowledge someone’s existence.

If we were all to live full authentic lives by demonstrating pride in our individuality as well as the community we assist in creating, we would all be a part of living authentically orange lives.

Submitted by Nivita Sriram

     Humans can never be sure if they are truly authentic or not. What we can do at the least is to find ourselves even if we’re unable to reveal our true self to the world. Authenticity means being truthful and honest at all times regardless one’s environment and people surrounding them. In this day and age, it’s very hard to find people that are truly authentic. To authentically “Be Orange” at Oregon State University means to be a true Beaver. It is difficult who is actually a true Beaver that religiously follows all games and activities on campus, or one that hops on the bandwagon to be a part of school spirit- which probably includes most of us here at OSU. In this society, it is difficult to find who is authentically “Orange” and who isn’t due to various societal pressures and expectations we have set for one another.

 Many factors can contribute to preventing someone from becoming authentic, or truly an individual. This is also seen through Nietzshe’s beliefs- “But throughout the longest era of humanity, there was nothing more frightful than being single. Being alone, perceiving as a single person, neither ruling, nor constituting an individual-that was no pleasure, but a punishment” (Nietzshe, The Gay Science, p. 117). As Nietzsche explains, throughout humanity it’s been a common theme that individuality and authenticity is bad. To truly be authentic, however, one must reject this belief and be a singular person and believe that their individuality is more important and valuable than following the “herd”- a term used by Nietzsche to describe how people generally follow others around them. The “Herd” can often lead individuals to act in unauthentic ways, or to be less authentic themselves (lecture, 5/5/15).Ways to express ourselves and be authentic can be done in many different ways- one way in particular is appearance. As demonstrated by the extra credit exercise done in class, many people came to class in their “authentic” selves. If people dressed like their real selves all the time, authenticity would be the “norm” of society. However, we are forced to follow societal norms and behaviors to fit in- which we may not all agree with or abide to. Girls who don’t wear makeup could be seen as authentic, and guys who don’t shave their faces could be seen as authentic as well. Authenticity doesn’t have one definition, to some people being “all natural” could be authentic, but to others they are their authentic selves when they are dressed up. Authenticity varies from person to person, and is hard to point out in a crowd. It’s difficult to naturally “be authentically orange”- rather it is an achieved trait. One becomes “orange” after participating in school events, wearing orange, attending games and cheering on the Beavers.

Individuals must not forget about themselves and their minds well getting caught up in a society where individualism may be seen as a bad thing. Kierkegaard states that the crowd is “untruth, and makes the individual irresponsible” (lecture, 5/5/15). Following the majority of society makes us lie to ourselves about who we really are, and influences us to do things we may not usually do, which also makes us questionable in the realm of ethics. What often happens in society, however is dehumanization, the refusal to recognize humanity when people try to follow social norms and abide to laws (lecture, 5/19/15). This theory by Fanon proves that humans are often dehumanized- much like Jews in concentration camps during the Holocaust but in less extreme situations today. Instead, humans must be in the situation, in itself, for itself, and for others to be authentic and find themselves in the chaos of today’s world. Rather than following dehumanization, humans must strictly follow humanism. (lecture 5/19/15). In addition to following the theory of humanism, humans must realize their freedom and use it to their full potential. Freedom is the last existential theme of philosophy- it includes reflection, transcendence, and responsibility. Humans are condemned to be free. We have the freedom to create and choose values, we are self surpassing and lastly, man is responsible for everything that he does. (lecture 5/21/15).

To be authentically orange, one must truly believe that he/she is a true Beaver, and achieve status in being a true Beaver. It cannot be easily defined, as authenticity can vary person to person. However, if one follows the theories of humanism, freedom, and defy the common beliefs of the crowd and the herd to be true to themselves, and become purely authentic.

Submitted By: Aubrey Hills.

I don’t think there is a way to authentically “Be Orange.” Bad faith is, as we discussed in lecture, lying to yourself or someone else about something. Examples of acting in bad faith would be denying transcendence or facticity (Lecture, 5/26/15). If you think about it, trying to fit students into a box of “Being Orange” or “Being a Beaver” is denying both transcendence and facticity. In my opinion, trying to authentically “Be Orange” is a form of bad faith.

The idea that one can authentically “Be Orange” is denying transcendence. Transcendence is the idea of one’s existence beyond the normal or physical level (Lecture, 5/26/15).  If I were to say that I am currently living “Authentically Orange” I would be lying to myself because I only joined an institution that others has joined before me and other will join after me. Nothing is personal or special about going to a higher level of education in school at this particular institution.

The idea that one can authentically “Be Orange” also denies facticity. By trying to authentically “Be Orange” I am denying that I am not technically affiliated with the institution of OSU. Yes I do pay tuition here and I am a student with finals and summer classes but I just as easily could have been a student at the University of Oregon, paying tuition there and writing an essay on what it means to “Bleed Yellow and Green.” By saying that I live authentically “Orange” I am lying to myself about who I am without an outside institution that educates me and takes my money.

Simone de Beauvoir says in The Ethics of Ambiguity that authenticity is man having the power to lay down “the foundations of his own existence” (Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity, conclusion). Just from this I already see flaws in the idea that there is a way to authentically “Be Orange”. For one, everyone that goes to OSU all the way back to the first class of students obviously was not involved in the founding of the university, therefor they did not lay the foundation of his or her existence within the schooling setting.

An obstacle to becoming an individual in the Orange community of Oregon State University can be explained using the idea that Nietzsche had about herds that we talked about in lecture. If Oregon State University is thought of as a single community as it generally is then everyone involved in the community is just part of the herd. As discussed in lecture, there is no way to become an individual while in a herd unless one escapes the herd and becomes a true individual on his or her own (Lecture, 5/28/15). If a student of faculty member at OSU wants to be authentic in his or her identity, he or she has to acquire the conviction to break free of the herd that is the university institution and find a distinct identity without the comfort and support that is always constant in the university environment. The ability to break free from the herd, or in Kierkegaard’s view, the crowd, is diminished and weakened because the crowd makes the individual irresponsible and unrepentant (Lecture, 5/5/15). So the deeper one is enveloped into the crowd the harder it is for one to break free and find what makes them authentic to themselves. Basically stated, the more one tries to authentically “Be Orange”, the harder it will become for one to be authentic to themselves. That is why authentically “Being Orange” is not possible.

Submitted By Taylor Ireland

Authenticity is uniqueness, genuine, real, veritable, and most importantly, being true to one’s self. People strive all of their lives in search of what makes them special. How do you become true to yourself, without knowing who you are? The first step in order to be true to yourself, especially while in Beaver Nation, is the third theme of existentialism; Humanism. Individuals, or “Beavers” are focused on the pursuit of freedom and identity. They search for their own opinions and values on politics, social conformity and their own virtues (Lecture 5-7-15). A true and authentic Beaver searches during their, hopefully four years of college, to find out what makes them so unique. While we are all one Beaver Nation, we all have separate identities, which is what makes us authentic.

As we search for our identity here at Oregon State University, we are also among tens of thousands of other students with the same goal. This agrees with the philosopher Heidegger, and his theory on “The They”. As we walk to our classes with our headphones in, every face a blur as we walk by, we see a larger picture. This is called “The They”. While we think we are the ones unique and separate from “The They”, we are actually a part of it just as much as everyone else is. The other students are there with you, all with the same goal in mind. In Heidegger’s reading, he states that “Others are encountered environmentally” (Heidegger, Being and Time pg. 225). As we walk by these blurry faces, it is in the environment of Oregon State’s campus. From a larger a scale, everyone here at Oregon State, is a small part of an even bigger “The They” which is the entire world. Every Beaver is an everyday mode of being, finding their own identity in an even bigger “The They”.

While we are all part of “The They”, we must also consider the fact of how we look through other’s eyes. Every true Beaver has experienced tour groups consisting of parents and hopefully future Beavers walking past you; a sleep deprived, hungry, hungover, college student trying to get past this small group of “The They” to make it to class. I feel like an animal trapped in a glass cage at the zoo. This brings us to the philosophical  statement, Being for Others (Lecture 5-5-15). In your eyes, the tour group is turning you into an object. Which can be somewhat alienating, for you, a person in search of their own identity to be turned into just another object for that group. This is one of the many obstacles you must overcome as you embark on the journey to be an authentic Beaver. While it may seem like you are being objectified, every other fellow Beaver feels the same way and it ends up being one of the many obstacles you overcome.

As the world progresses, somethings end up being more important than it was twenty years ago, maybe because of social norms, or because it did not even exist. One of these important things that relates to being a true Beaver, is the Facebook page, “Things Overheard at OSU”. While this may seem petty, it correlates perfectly to Kierkegaard’s theory of The Crowd (Lecture 5-5-15). He states that the crowd is one driving force that persuades decisions and it weakens the responsibility of others as the bigger the crowd is, the less important one person is. “Things Overheard at OSU” is a perfect example of this because with the crowd on that page, approximately 15,000 members, each Beaver has less of an impact on the larger crowd. When one post gets over 500 likes and a lot of support, if one Beaver feels opposite of others, they can (and usually) receive a lot of hate for their opinion, because it does not follow the crowd. This is just another obstacle one faces while you attempt to be an authentic OSU student. While you may not always agree with the crowd because it is “untruth” as Kierkegaard states, the crowd is too powerful to face as a single individual.

Finally, every college student, let alone a Beaver faces procrastination. While some cases are more extreme, we all deny transcendence by procrastinating. (Lecture 5-26-15). This is in Sartre’s perspective, that we keep denying and denying starting the simplest of tasks. This is another obstacle we face, and will always be a challenge. The second part of procrastination is the “I’ll start sooner next time” phase. Which is also denying transcendence, because you never really do start earlier next time. It is the same repetitive task over and over of procrastination, sort of like Sisyphus, repeating the same task over and over. This, to me, is one of the hardest obstacles of being a Beaver in search of identity and authenticity. While it may not ever be conquered, it alone will not stop your commitment to being a unique Beaver.

Ultimately, while there are many obstacles and steps of being an authentic and true Beaver, the identity you find in the end is worth all of the time and effort. Hopefully, as I am still continuing through the process of being my very own, authentic Beaver.

Submitted by Sydney Lund

“Be Orange”

There’s many different ways to describe authenticity, or “being orange.” However, for myself to describe, I would say that authenticity means being genuine, kind, and heartfelt. My reasoning for this is because authentic is your true self, and how you express yourself on a daily basis. People express themselves in many different ways, and from the lectures in class, we talked about one of the existential themes being “humanism.” While we were talking about humanism, we learned that it is an individual who focuses on the pursuit of identity and freedom (Lecture, 5/19/15). Also, their values and meaning in opposition to social, political and economic pressure for conformity. This means that humanism is linked to authenticity, or at least I believe so. I think they are linked together because reasoning, freedom, being in situation and questioning are all part of being authentic.

I believe there are many obstacles to becoming an individual within a community, but I have one specific in mind. I think the biggest obstacle people face is not being accepted by individuals, and constantly being judged by others, which makes it difficult to live a happy life in a community. I also feel like it’s troubling to be accepted nowadays because there are so many different spheres of life according to our readings. For example, there is the aesthetic sphere, ethical sphere, and religious sphere. Everyone fits in a different sphere and I feel like people are accepted based on the sphere they fall into. The aesthetic sphere is sensation, and it satisfies immediate desires, and seeks pleasurable experiences (Lecture, 4/28/15). These types of spheres are often thrill seekers and seducers. Also, the ethical sphere is choice (Lecture, 4/28/15). The meaning of the ethical sphere is morality, and has universal and moral duties. Lastly, is the religious sphere. The religious sphere includes, but can contradict the ethical sphere (Lecture, 4/28/15). It means to have Christian faith and is individual and subjective versus church dogma. The eternal meaning of this sphere is found in passionate absurd, commitment and is part of the leap of faith. As an example for being an obstacle as an individual in our community is, I have noticed that here at Oregon State, if you’re not in a sorority or a fraternity, then you are generally not as accepted to hang out with those people. I feel as though the people in sororities and frats are in the aesthetic sphere, because they are more of the risk takers, and thrill seekers. However, that doesn’t mean that other people not in frats and sororities are those types of people either, but people judge too much, and it’s difficult to be accepted.

Being Orange also collides with the themes of existentialism (Lecture, 5/21/15). The first theme is “Existence precedes essence.” Basically, what you are is a result of your choices. This relates to authenticity because authenticity is being yourself, which is a result of your choices. The second theme is existence is temporal. The second theme relates to authenticity because depending on what you choose to do, your choices are up to you and how genuine your attitude is. The third theme is ethics, which means varying definitions. Ethics also includes commitment to politics. Ethics relates to authenticity because it is a shared commitment to authentic living, as individuals and society (Lecture 5/19/15). Basically meaning that to be authentic is being accepted by society by your genuinity. The next theme is freedom, which means reflection, transcendence and responsibility. Freedom relates to authenticity because in order to be who you are and act as yourself, then you have to be and act free. All of these are from the readings, and lectures from class that all relate to being orange, and acting authentic.

In conclusion, to be authentic means to be genuine, and yourself. People these days need to be more accepting and take a leap of faith according to Kirkegard (Kirkegard, The Crowd is Untruth). The leap of faith is passionate, and subjective relationship to truth (Lecture, 4/28/15). This also relates to authenticity because you are taking a chance to show your true self. Overall, people need to be themselves, which is being orange, because that is staying true to yourself.