Explain to me “my most authentic self”

[Anonymous]

You do know that from the moment you were born you have been programmed to be who you are today?

Of course you don't know who your authentic self is because you found out what you were suppose to be to please others and be accepted in society and you did that.

We all did, don't feel bad about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do know that from the moment you were born you have been programmed to be who you are today?

Of course you don't know who your authentic self is because you found out what you were suppose to be to please others and be accepted in society and you did that.

We all did, don't feel bad about it.

The classic response is: then whose life have you been living?

There is no authentic self versus non authentic self. There are only choices. And you are just as responsible for any of the choices you made in your "non authentic" phase. You only have one self and that is you. And it's up to you to live your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do know that from the moment you were born you have been programmed to be who you are today?

Of course you don't know who your authentic self is because you found out what you were suppose to be to please others and be accepted in society and you did that.

We all did, don't feel bad about it.

The classic response is: then whose life have you been living?

There is no authentic self versus non authentic self. There are only choices. And you are just as responsible for any of the choices you made in your "non authentic" phase. You only have one self and that is you. And it's up to you to live your life.

YES

[Anonymous]

Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

I’m sorry you have such bad experiences. I know bad people too, but the people I choose to surround myself with are kind and compassionate to their core.

[Anonymous]

Isn't life a journey? The idea that we fully find ourselves and reach a destination where we now are authentic seems pretty stagnant. Who I am has continued to evolve over the years with life experiences - none of it is really authentic or not authentic - it is just the process of life and change.

I am not sure that human nature and our complicated mind-brain-spirit really allows us to ever reach a state of complete knowing where all questions are answered and there is no further growth and development because we have arrived at authenticity.

I think some people just use it to mean not being fake or shallow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

I’m sorry you have such bad experiences. I know bad people too, but the people I choose to surround myself with are kind and compassionate to their core.

I applaud you. Most people struggle between good and bad, and it's society that tells us how to be good. And why it's important to be good. There is no core independent of what we learn from society as we grow up. The cultural values are what teaches us to be kind and compassionate.

Leave humans unto their own devices, they are terrible. After all, one only has to study history to see this. Or even just look around our modern world. The "authentic" self of humanity stripped of all the lessons we learn from our cultures is a fearsome thing. If you want to persist in thinking there's some kind of inner core independent of cultural influences, then one only needs to look at the animal kingdom to see how ruthless animals are to each other with no concept of good or evil getting in the way. Mother nature is not kind but cruelly indifferent. Good and evil are not innate knowledge to men, as history tells us quite clearly. It's something we learn.

And that's also why talk of authentic self is meaningless. As the PP pointed out, life is a journey. You learn as you journey through life. What's best for you at age 10 is not what's best for you at age 50. Your likes and preferences change as the world around you changes and you change yourself. So the "authentic" self is constantly changing. And I hope it does, because life is supposed to be about constantly learning and exploring and pursuing wisdom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

I’m sorry you have such bad experiences. I know bad people too, but the people I choose to surround myself with are kind and compassionate to their core.

I applaud you. Most people struggle between good and bad, and it's society that tells us how to be good. And why it's important to be good. There is no core independent of what we learn from society as we grow up. The cultural values are what teaches us to be kind and compassionate.

Leave humans unto their own devices, they are terrible. After all, one only has to study history to see this. Or even just look around our modern world. The "authentic" self of humanity stripped of all the lessons we learn from our cultures is a fearsome thing. If you want to persist in thinking there's some kind of inner core independent of cultural influences, then one only needs to look at the animal kingdom to see how ruthless animals are to each other with no concept of good or evil getting in the way. Mother nature is not kind but cruelly indifferent. Good and evil are not innate knowledge to men, as history tells us quite clearly. It's something we learn.

And that's also why talk of authentic self is meaningless. As the PP pointed out, life is a journey. You learn as you journey through life. What's best for you at age 10 is not what's best for you at age 50. Your likes and preferences change as the world around you changes and you change yourself. So the "authentic" self is constantly changing. And I hope it does, because life is supposed to be about constantly learning and exploring and pursuing wisdom.

I’m sorry that you’re so jaded you can’t see that being “your most authentic self” means being true to who you are and not conforming to be accepted. It’s not a statement about greed or violence. It’s just about being comfortable with who you are, and letting your appearance and actions reflect that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

I’m sorry you have such bad experiences. I know bad people too, but the people I choose to surround myself with are kind and compassionate to their core.

I applaud you. Most people struggle between good and bad, and it's society that tells us how to be good. And why it's important to be good. There is no core independent of what we learn from society as we grow up. The cultural values are what teaches us to be kind and compassionate.

Leave humans unto their own devices, they are terrible. After all, one only has to study history to see this. Or even just look around our modern world. The "authentic" self of humanity stripped of all the lessons we learn from our cultures is a fearsome thing. If you want to persist in thinking there's some kind of inner core independent of cultural influences, then one only needs to look at the animal kingdom to see how ruthless animals are to each other with no concept of good or evil getting in the way. Mother nature is not kind but cruelly indifferent. Good and evil are not innate knowledge to men, as history tells us quite clearly. It's something we learn.

And that's also why talk of authentic self is meaningless. As the PP pointed out, life is a journey. You learn as you journey through life. What's best for you at age 10 is not what's best for you at age 50. Your likes and preferences change as the world around you changes and you change yourself. So the "authentic" self is constantly changing. And I hope it does, because life is supposed to be about constantly learning and exploring and pursuing wisdom.

I’m sorry that you’re so jaded you can’t see that being “your most authentic self” means being true to who you are and not conforming to be accepted. It’s not a statement about greed or violence. It’s just about being comfortable with who you are, and letting your appearance and actions reflect that.

What is being "true" to who you are? Really? Who are you, anyway? How is that independent of the cultural values we learn and surround ourselves with? People change and transform over time, so what's "true" to you at one point in your life is not the case 10, 20, 30 years down the road. I'm a different person at age 40 than I was at age 20, but I was just as authentic at 20 as I am now. I changed, so there is no "true" me that has remained constant during that entire period. And that is the case for everyone. That is why society is constantly evolving and adapting and changing. Because people change. Not because they are getting more "true" or "authentic" to themselves, but because the world around us, and our values, change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your authentic self is who you are at your core minus social constraints etc.

Then do we really want to see people's authentic self?

Because most people are, at their core, selfish and self-absorbed. It is social constraints that teaches the value of being kind and friendly and generous and respectful, all those things that makes living among people much easier.

I’m sorry you have such bad experiences. I know bad people too, but the people I choose to surround myself with are kind and compassionate to their core.

I applaud you. Most people struggle between good and bad, and it's society that tells us how to be good. And why it's important to be good. There is no core independent of what we learn from society as we grow up. The cultural values are what teaches us to be kind and compassionate.

Leave humans unto their own devices, they are terrible. After all, one only has to study history to see this. Or even just look around our modern world. The "authentic" self of humanity stripped of all the lessons we learn from our cultures is a fearsome thing. If you want to persist in thinking there's some kind of inner core independent of cultural influences, then one only needs to look at the animal kingdom to see how ruthless animals are to each other with no concept of good or evil getting in the way. Mother nature is not kind but cruelly indifferent. Good and evil are not innate knowledge to men, as history tells us quite clearly. It's something we learn.

And that's also why talk of authentic self is meaningless. As the PP pointed out, life is a journey. You learn as you journey through life. What's best for you at age 10 is not what's best for you at age 50. Your likes and preferences change as the world around you changes and you change yourself. So the "authentic" self is constantly changing. And I hope it does, because life is supposed to be about constantly learning and exploring and pursuing wisdom.

I’m sorry that you’re so jaded you can’t see that being “your most authentic self” means being true to who you are and not conforming to be accepted. It’s not a statement about greed or violence. It’s just about being comfortable with who you are, and letting your appearance and actions reflect that.

What is being "true" to who you are? Really? Who are you, anyway? How is that independent of the cultural values we learn and surround ourselves with? People change and transform over time, so what's "true" to you at one point in your life is not the case 10, 20, 30 years down the road. I'm a different person at age 40 than I was at age 20, but I was just as authentic at 20 as I am now. I changed, so there is no "true" me that has remained constant during that entire period. And that is the case for everyone. That is why society is constantly evolving and adapting and changing. Because people change. Not because they are getting more "true" or "authentic" to themselves, but because the world around us, and our values, change.

You’re totally overthinking this. It’s weird to me that you want to argue that someone can’t be true or authentic. Even Shakespeare used that line.

Have you really never felt pressure from your parents, friends, or society to do something you felt uncomfortable with? To date someone who looks good on poet but didn’t excite you? To study something practical instead of something that fires you up inside? To dress conservatively when you wanted to wear something bold? To be nice to the mean girl when you wanted to tell her to shove it? Did you conform their pressure or were you true to yourself? That’s what it means, or a few examples.