Are you being your true, authentic self right now?
“Have the courage to be yourself.” “Live your own truth.” “Be original,” “be fearless,” “be genuine.” “Being your authentic self is the ultimate secret to happiness in life.”
These are just a few of the inspirational quotes I found on authenticity. On the other end of the spectrum we have the phenomenon of conformity: the tendency to be like others, instead of like ourselves. Some more inspirational quotes:
“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
“The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself.”
“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.”
Yikes.
Do we really value authenticity over conformity? If so, why should it require courage and fearlessness? And why does conformity get such a bad rap? In what way does society reward authenticity over conformity? Do you feel pressure to be authentic or not? Is it more about the way you dress, the way you talk, the activities you participate in, the emotions you express, the study/career path you follow, or the values you adhere to? In short, what does it mean to ‘be yourself’?
I’m curious what life would look like if you lived it authentically, and by what means you could achieve it. How do you know when you’re being truly authentic? How do you decide what is authentic to you? Do you control who you are or who you become? Can you be ‘true to yourself’ if you don’t know what the self really is or what objective truth is?
Lots of questions in the search for the self. This is the last session before the exam break; be prepared to go home with more annoying paradoxes rather than answers.
EXISTENTIAL TUESDAYS
Existential Tuesdays are small weekly* lunch discussions in the Nook of the TUD Library. Practice your critical thinking skills, learn to see the world from different perspectives, and hang out with your fellow deep thinkers in Delft.
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* no sessions during exam weeks or study week
