Authentic Orange

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.