Culture is loud. Becoming authentically YOU means turning down its volume.
I’m often accused — or credited, depending on one’s perspective — of leading an authentic life. As nearly as I can tell, the accusation or accolade refers to the following definition from Merriam and Webster: “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”
Fundamentally, aren’t we all true to our personality, spirit, and character? How could we act otherwise, in the absence of multiple personalities? I have concluded that we’ve been captured by the culture in which we’re immersed. We are unable to escape without killing ourselves, yet the culture is killing us.
Ultimately, I wonder why any of us bothers trying to be a good person. As Ernest Hemingway indicated: “The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.”
Vulnerability isn’t so bad. But few knowingly bring on their own destruction. Instead, I suspect most humans — even those who consider themselves good — actually benefit from and even promote contemporary culture, the problems with which are legion.
Do good people promote patriarchy? Do they pursue and promote the notions of marriage and monogamy even when knowing these ideas are steeped in the patriarchy of a culture gone seriously awry? As examples of patriarchy, marriage and monogamy are obligations of empire rather than outcomes of natural law. Instead of abiding and supporting imperialism, shall good people attempt to reduce or eliminate patriarchy, hence civilization, one act at a time?
When we recognize patriarchy and its impacts, where does that leave those of us pursuing authenticity? Indeed, attempting to conduct an authentic life in a culture dominated by patriarchy and engendering destruction is analogous to pursuing meaning in an uncaring universe. Does authenticity have meaning in such a universe? Is authenticity a desirable goal, if goals are merely cogs in the machine of a culture run amok? Is authenticity another stumbling block on the road to happiness? Is authenticity yet another piece of propaganda promoted by the thieves and liars pulling the levers of civilization to trap decent people into lives of service? Do we ultimately and perhaps unwittingly serve civilization, hence omnicide, when attempting to serve humanity?
If a life of service is a trap, why step into the trap? In avoiding the trap are we embracing nihilism, “a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless”? And, if so, does the embrace constitute a pact with the proverbial devil?
As individuals and a society have we become so broken we cannot pursue the truth about ourselves and our culture? Have we become so marginalized, demoralized, and humiliated by this insane culture that we are no longer able to rise up against cultural insanity?
See Also:
Questioning Culture: The Long Littleness of Life
Questioning Culture: Shades of Existential Gray
Questioning Culture: When Personal Happiness Brings Suffering to Others
Questioning Culture: American Empire
Questioning Culture: Our Addiction to Growth
–Photo: matthijs/Flickr
You make it so complicated.
People have the choice in life of being the hammer or the nail.
JW von Goethe
Your last sentence:
Have we become so marginalized, demoralized, and humiliated by this insane culture that we are no longer able to rise up against cultural insanity?
I think you got me here. It is almost impossible to reply no. Most people I know, perhaps me included, suffer from an extensive disease produced mainly through TV which we started watching when we were toddlers.
Just asking someone to consider the evidence regarding 9-11 having been an inside job is an exercise in utter frustration.
Yes and yes. I think our culture has duped us into thinking that we – those who strive for authenticity – are the minority. As so many adults in their thirties find themselves in touch socioeconomic situations, we become forced to rethink our values and our goals – not to mention what we spend our money on. Combating the overwhelming cultural wave by trying to avoid full stop can’t work. We have to come up with ways to connect with like-minded people and to learn self-care techniques to get rid of the icky energy it’s so easy to absorb from… Read more »
If a life of service is a trap, why step into the trap? In avoiding the trap are we embracing nihilism, “a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless”? And, if so, does the embrace constitute a pact with the proverbial devil?
How does nihilism go along with parenthood?
Or is it parenthood that IS the trap, the life of service? (And if it is, then shouldn’t it be?)
Well-written and I particularly like the inclusion of the Hemingway quote. I agree, we are captured by the cultured in which we are immersed. Swimming against the tide and trying to live authentically can be demoralising at times; especially when others are so conditioned to expect inuthenticity/insincerity that they fail to acknowledge and respect authentic/sincere requests when they do happen. But, in the end, I would rather be vulnerable than be apathetic.
Keepers of one of the last matriarchal societies in the world, Mosuo women in a remote area of southwest China live beyond the strictures of mainstream Chinese culture — enjoying great freedoms and carrying heavy responsibilities. Beautifully shot and featuring intimate interviews, this short documentary offers a rare glimpse into a society virtually unheard of 10 years ago and now often misrepresented in the media. Mosuo women control their own finances and do not marry or live with partners; they practice what they call “walking marriage.” A man may be invited into a woman’s hut to spend a “sweet night,”… Read more »
I’ve always been taught such, and always believed that people should live mentally within their individual selves more than through the surrounding culture: in other words, one should make up his own mind as to right, wrong, and important with society being only a point of reference. It has always irritated me to hear “that’s just how it is,” or “that’s just how it’s done.” And one of the great examples to me is the statement “marriage is between a man and a woman,” because it seems to me it’s not only an assertion that this cultural definition is right,… Read more »
Blogger: Fundamentally, aren’t we all true to our personality, spirit, and character? How could we act otherwise, in the absence of multiple personalities? — It’s clear to me (and not just me) that we are each a collection of selves, and not just a self. These various personalities come to the foreground or remain in the background of consciousness depending on the particular situations we find ourselves immersed in. In people with multiple personality disorder, these personalities are entirely unruly, and there is no integration among them. In many of the rest of us, these personalities live in an uneasy… Read more »
I’m pretty sure that there is no one “good.” No one “social justice.” So I do think real authenticity means something. If we say that there is a certain desired way of being for everyone, we risk what Jung called projecting the shadow on people who don’t seem to us to be behaving that way. And, of course, we act that shadow out behind our own backs too from time to time. I think authenticity quiets us after a time. It’s what Nietzsche meant by overman. More zen master than dictator. So it’s possible for conservative republicans to be “good,”… Read more »
As I read your article I have two thoughts. First, authenticity and humanity are intrinsically linked. As we shed our symbolic images of self and sink back into our natural humanity we become more aware of our senses and our emotions. Becoming authentic opens one to a much broader range of experiences, which is why our cultural conditioning is so addictive. Secondly, the process of becoming more authentic and humane is one of acceptance of our basic mortality and an ability to grieve deeply enough to discover peace with our simple humanity and lifespan. Societal conditioning and the symbolic, illusional… Read more »
“Secondly, the process of becoming more authentic and humane is one of acceptance of our basic mortality and an ability to grieve deeply enough to discover peace with our simple humanity and lifespan.”
I think this sums it up perfectly.
The problem is relegating authenticity to some cerebral metaphysical realm when it is actually more visceral and practical and frankly the birthright of every individual. We do not need to become some modern Diogenes walking the world with a lamp in search of the truth outside of ourselves. Truth is personal and instinctive. We need to get out of our heads (and societal conditioning) and listen to our hearts to discover our personal integrity (mind, body, spirit) and authenticity follow naturally. Yes, there is a problem of being authentic in a inauthentic world, but with integrity you can deal with… Read more »
Authenticity is a threat to the system. Thusly, it is not supported and yet, most humans are magnetized by it and trained by system programming to destroy it. Human nature is NOT natural as we are hybrids, we struggle to balance empathy and freewill within a reptilian brain. In fact, there is little about this “place” that IS authentic, as it is merely illusion based on smoke & mirrors. Those of us that choose to live a life of example and service and thus an authentic reality, can only do so within the confines of the ego trap. It is… Read more »
Hi Guy You have already found the answer. I am interested ! Then one little wish from me. A lot of what you say got lost in translation inside my head since English is not my first language. Parts of what you say gets lost for me. And part of it goes over my head,but I want to understand what you say. I get the core of what you say. Can you be more concrete and also give examples? I look at America from outside. I see Ron Paul with Ayn Rands books. I see men on GMP that say… Read more »