In his book, Being and Time, German philosopher Martin Heidegger quotes the following about authenticity:
“For to be revealed from out of concealment, this is the essence of truth. Truth is the disclosure of that which was previously concealed. Concealment itself uncovers — it is not simply put together with something revealed. It uncovers by suppressing something.”
In other words, what is essential to truth is that it comes as a revelation, or disclosing, of something that was hidden. This unveiling is not just a coming-to-light of what was already revealed; it is a revealing that covers up or suppresses something else.
The interplay between concealment and revelation is at the heart of what it means to be authentic. For Heidegger, authenticity is not a static state that we reach once and for all, but rather a process of continual revelation. It is a dynamic process, not a static state. We are never fully authentic. We are always being authentic in some way or another.
Heidegger goes on to say that “Dasein [existence] is equipped with the ability to uncover, and it can just as easily cover things up and hide them.” Dasein’s authenticity lies in its ability to have an understanding of both worlds – the seen and the unseen, the manifest and the latent. It is only through this understanding that one can be liberated from the ” They” – those who are inauthentic because they conform to societal norms without question.
They are prisoners of their own conformity, and they are not truly free. The authentic person understands that there is more than one way to be, and that there is no one right way to be. They know that there is freedom in ambiguity, and that there is liberation in accepting the complexities of life.
The price of authenticity, however, is high. To be authentic requires a “resolute commitment,” which is a totalizing and isolating act. In other words, it requires going against the grain, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Nevertheless, Heidegger believes that it is only through making this commitment that one can find true meaning in life. It is only through embracing the unknown and the difficult that we can find true happiness. For him, authenticity is not a destination that we reach, but a journey that we embark on. It is a process that requires courage and perseverance, and it is always a struggle. It is a never-ending fight against the forces of conformity and the they.
So what does it mean to be authentic? According to Heidegger, it means having an understanding of both the manifest and latent worlds. It requires a resolute commitment to go against societal norms – even if doing so leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation. While the price of authenticity may be high, Heidegger believes that it is only through making this commitment that one can find true meaning in life. It is only through embracing the unknown and the difficult that we can find true happiness.
Overall, Heidegger believes that authenticity is not about being perfect, but about finding the right path. In the end, it is about finding your true calling.
The alternative to authenticity is conformity, which Heidegger describes as a superficial form of existence. Is it bad to conform to society? That is a difficult question to answer. It often depends on the individual. For some people, conforming is a way to avoid disappointment and loneliness. For others, conforming is a way to fit in.
If you choose not to conform, then you may find yourself feeling lonely and depressed. Whether such a price is ultimately worth it depends on your view of life. If you believe that authenticity is the only way to find happiness, then the answer is clear: you should embrace it. Otherwise, tread the path of conformity. One of biggest critics of Heidegger, Hannah Arendt, would say that his philosophy is too individualistic. She believes that we cannot find meaning in life through our own individual acts; instead, we find meaning through our relationships with others.
According to Arendt, the authentic life is one lived in relationships with others. We find meaning not through going against the grain, but through coming together with others. And if you go to cultures in the East, you will often find that the idea of individuality and authenticity is not as important as it is in the West. Thus, while authenticity is important, it is not the only thing that matters. Instead, it is a part of a larger puzzle. The truth is that being authentic means being true to yourself. But it is also important to be true to others. If you can be true to yourself and also be true to others, you will find true balance.
The final thing to say is about whether authenticity in the strict sense is even possible. For most people, it is not. Think about the countless people who live their lives as a means to an end – they are living in order to get to the next stage of their lives. But most people, most of the time, cannot even do that. In the movie, A Beautiful Mind, the protagonist, Russell Crowe, is an academic genius. He is able to do all sorts of complex calculations and solve complex problems, but he cannot do this in his personal life. He is unable to love and be loved. It is only when he is at the end of his life that he is able to be fully authentic.
Thus, he has to be in a situation where he has to face his death. He is forced to face the fact that he has been living a lie all of his life. He has to face the fact that he is a fake. And if he is able to do that then he can become authentic. And that, my friends, is the secret to being authentic. It is to ultimately come to the realization that you are a fake. And then you have to be able to embrace that fact. And in doing so, you will be able to become authentic. Such is the paradoxical nature of authenticity.