In our digital age, authenticity is everywhere – in influencer captions, marketing campaigns, and self-help mantras. Everyone wants to be “real” and gravitates toward those who appear to embody authenticity. But here’s the twist: authenticity, the seemingly simple act of “being true to oneself,” is far from straightforward. In fact, it's deeply influenced by social expectations and cultural norms, making it more of a social construct than an inherent trait.
The idea of authenticity – being genuine or true to oneself – has philosophical origins. Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Søren Kierkegaard championed the idea of living “authentically” by acknowledging personal freedom and responsibility. For them, authenticity meant living without pretense, making choices based on personal values rather than societal pressures.
However, what was once a philosophical pursuit has now become a modern aspiration, one that’s filtered through social media feeds and brand campaigns. People want to be perceived as authentic, but this perception is influenced by the same societal norms they seek to reject. In other words, authenticity is not just a personal pursuit; it’s shaped by collective expectations of what "realness" looks like.
Ironically, much of our understanding of authenticity comes from social media, a highly curated and performative space. Influencers and celebrities craft images of “authentic” lives, sharing vulnerable moments or “behind-the-scenes” shots to build a connection with followers. But even these glimpses of “real life” are often carefully staged and filtered, meant to convey a certain narrative.
As viewers, we subconsciously measure authenticity based on certain cues: imperfection, relatability, and openness. Yet, by defining authenticity in such fixed terms, we are creating a blueprint for how to “perform” authenticity, often unintentionally encouraging people to craft their image to meet these standards. Paradoxically, even the desire to be authentic can become an act.
The way we define authenticity is also influenced by cultural and social factors. In individualistic societies, for example, authenticity is often framed as self-expression and independence, a commitment to one's unique desires and beliefs. In collectivist cultures, however, authenticity can be about staying true to shared values or honoring familial expectations, where the “self” is deeply interconnected with the community.
This diversity in definitions suggests that authenticity is not a one-size-fits-all concept but a social construct shaped by the values of the society we inhabit. For instance, in a Western context, posting a makeup-free selfie may be seen as an authentic act of vulnerability. In other contexts, acts of authenticity may be rooted in honoring cultural traditions or prioritizing collective well-being over individual expression.
So, if authenticity is shaped by social constructs, can we ever truly “be ourselves”? The concept of a “true self” is compelling but also elusive. The traits we associate with our identities - our interests, opinions, and even our personalities - are all influenced by socialization and experiences. What we consider our “authentic self” might simply be a reflection of the roles and labels assigned to us over time.
The good news is that recognizing authenticity as a social construct doesn’t mean it’s unattainable. Rather, it allows us to be more intentional about the choices we make. Instead of striving for an “authentic” ideal imposed by social media, we can embrace a more fluid understanding of ourselves, one that recognizes the changing nature of identity.
True authenticity might mean acknowledging that we are, in part, products of our environments and the expectations around us, but that we still have the freedom to make choices aligned with our evolving values. It involves a willingness to be vulnerable, to accept our contradictions, and to acknowledge that authenticity is a process, not a fixed state.
In the end, authenticity is less about conforming to a cultural ideal of “realness” and more about staying connected to our core values, even as those values shift with time and experience. Recognizing authenticity as a social construct allows us to free ourselves from rigid definitions and embrace the fluid, complex nature of our identities.