PHILOSOPHY Authenticity Means: Being Aware of Your Limitations Lorenz Duremdes, Polymath Nov 17 · 3 min read Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay I want to present a simple and logical definition of authenticity: “Authenticity means being aware of your limitations and/or acting in accordance.” It is a definition I have learned from a course called “Existential Well-Being” on edX, and would recommend it to everyone. The questions further presented in this article are based on that definition. When are you being authentic? If we follow the definition given in this article, we can easily imagine how someone giving false promises is not being authentic: 1. That person is not being aware of his limitations; 2. Even if he is aware of his limitations, he is not acting in accordance. See how simple this definition is? Not being aware of your limitations yet acting in accordance to your limitations = not being authentic? I am truly a believer of “Action is power, not knowledge” and “Deeds, not words”. This, then, is the reason why I added and made “and/or” bold. I don’t know, for example, whether I am able to learn how to fly a plane, but I will definitely not exaggerate and overestimate myself, and say things like “I am going to be able to fly a plane within a month”. I am, however, going to say things like “I am probably capable of learning how to fly a plane, but I am not 100% sure”. This way, I don’t know the things exactly, but I can definitely try to be as authentic as possible in both thoughts and deeds. Why not the other way around i.e. being aware of your limitations yet not acting in accordance = inauthentic? Refer back to the example of the person “giving false promises”. So the answer to the question “Not being aware of your limitations yet acting in accordance to your limitations = not being authentic?” should be “False”. I, however, do think you are being “fully” authentic when you are both aware as well as acting in accordance to your limitations. That you are acting in accordance to your limitations without being aware of them might as well be “random” luck. What about lying? If I say “You are ugly” yet I think and feel you are beautiful, am I being authentic or not? Let’s ask ourselves the following questions first: 1. Am I aware of my limitations? And what do I consider my limitations? 2. Am I acting in accordance to these limitations? So it really depends on what my purpose or goal is. If I want to be truthful, then I am not being authentic. If I want to hurt others, I guess from my perspective, I am. It’s relativistic: 10/28/2019 — Relativism As a First Principle And why drugs isn’t inherently good or bad medium.com I hope you liked this definition of being authentic. Let me know below what you think of it! Subscribe for more content like this: Subscribe See this to see why I write: https://lorenzduremdes.wordpress.com/2019/10/08/introd… mailchi.mp . . . This story is published in a Few Words, Medium’s publication that only accepts stories under 500 words. If you have a few meaningful words to say and want to be a writer in our publication, visit here. Some rights reserved Authenticity Life Philosophy Life Lessons Culture Discover Medium Make Medium yours Become a member Welcome to a place where words matter. Follow all the topics you care about, and Get unlimited access to the best stories On Medium, smart voices and original we’ll deliver the best stories for you to on Medium — and support writers while ideas take center stage - with no ads in your homepage and inbox. Explore you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade sight. Watch About Help Legal
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