What is “Authentic”, “Genuine” and “Real”?
When we talk about people and how they behave in the world, I have wondered if many people would pass the test of being “authentic, genuine, and real.” Now that I’ve asked that question, I also wonder if people really care how they behave when they choose to live their lives. For me, the search for answers begins with finding the definitions of these words based on Internet dictionaries… (Most relevant to this article are the definitions that are in bold and underlined).
Work with these definitions and the article will continue on the other side…
Definition of AUTHENTIC Webster’s
1. deprecated: authorized
2. worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming or based on fact b: conforming to an original to reproduce essential features c: made or made in the same manner as an original
3. not fake or imitation: real, actual
4th a of a church mode: going up from the key note – compare plagal 1 b of a cadence: progress from the dominant chord to the tonic – compare plagal 2
5. true to one’s own personality, spirit or character
– aut•then•ti•cal•ly
– au•then•tic•i•ty
O aut•then•tic adjective
1. not fake or copied; authentic; real: a real antique.
2. have the origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified: an authentic document from the Middle Ages; a true work of the old master.
3. right to acceptance or belief due to agreement with known facts or experience; trustworthy; trustworthy: an authentic report on poverty in africa
Definition of GENUINE
1. actually having the reputed or apparent qualities or character b: actually produced by or from the supposed source or author c: sincerely and honestly felt or experienced d: real, true
2. free from hypocrisy or pretense: sincere
authentic
adjective
1. possessing the character, quality or origin claimed or attributed; not forged; original; real: genuine sympathy; a real antique.
2. proper: a genuine case of smallpox.
3. free from pretense, affectation or hypocrisy; sincere: a genuine person.
4. descendant of the original stock; purebred: a true Celtic people.
synonyms
1. See authentic. 3. true, unaffected, open, honest, direct.
Definition: authentic, real.
Synonyms: -carat, 24 karat, absolute, exact, real, authenticated, bona fide, sure, certified, provable, exact, existing, factual, true, good, tough, honest, honest to goodness, in the flesh, indubitable, kosher*, legitimate, legit, literal, natural, official, original, palpable, simple, positive, precise, proven, pure, real stuff, sound, sterling, safe, proven, true, unadulterated, unalloyed, indubitable, blameless, unquestionable, unvarnished, valid, true, very, complete
Notes: genuine means not false or falsified, or sincerely felt or expressed, while authentic means factual and therefore trustworthy and trustworthy.
Antonyms: falsified, false, illegitimate, false, unreal
Definition of REAL:
Real describes something that is true and authentic or something that is very important or significant.
(adjective)
1. An example of real is a real designer bag instead of a fake one.
2. An example of the real is a serious problem.
royal adjective
1.true; not merely ostensible, nominal or apparent: the real reason for an act.
2. existing or occurring as a fact; real instead of imagined, ideal or fictional: a story taken from real life.
3. be a real thing; have objective existence; Not Imaginary: The events you will see in the movie are real and not just made up.
4. being really such; not just so-called: a royal victory.
5. genuine; not counterfeit, artificial or imitation; authentic: a true antique; a real diamond; royal silk
Gold 1st Being or occurring in fact or news; have verifiable existence: real objects; a real disease
b. True and real; not imaginary, supposed or ideal: real people, not ghosts; a movie based on real life.
Against From or based on practical issues and concerns: A recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time.
2. Genuine and authentic; not artificial or spurious: real mink; true humility.
3. Be no less than what is said; worthy of the name: a true friend.
4. Free from pretense, falsehood or affectation: tourists who expect a real experience on the guided tour.
5. Not to be taken lightly; serious: in serious trouble
Everyone seems to be able to reach the state of being authentic, genuine, and real regardless of time. The amount of this time varies greatly depending on how important it may seem to be real as opposed to being in a “role” of being the type of character (or person) that may need or want to be seen. I think many of us spend too much time “acting” or pretending to be someone else because we don’t feel comfortable being who we really are… I also believe that these “roles” are so comfortable and frequent that we often don’t have a good idea of how to be authentic, genuine or real because we DON’T KNOW who we really are… In fact, this lack of self-awareness, self-acceptance, personal vision and authenticity is common, accepted and often preferred by both the person playing the role and by the people you meet. Maybe it’s just easier than being real or genuine.
What would be the advantage of being authentic, genuine and real?
Would this make life more satisfying?
Would this help make relationships more solid or real?
Should people strive to be more demonstrative than they really are?
And how do you become authentic, genuine and real, and live in this true form?
When you meet a person who is genuine and real, do you feel like you can “TRUST” that person more easily because they don’t seem real? Do relationships benefit from moments when the people in the relationship achieve sincere and genuine interaction?
When we are born, we are genuine, authentic and real. But, things get complicated and we develop filters through which we begin to experience the world. These filters can be cultural, or family values, or political, or loaded with religious teachings. We then evaluate and “judge” other people and interactions based on these filters and often find ourselves acting on the character of the filters we have adopted. Babies are not born as: “born-again Christians”, or Muslim extremists, or angry “right-wing” conservative Republicans, or “bleeding-hearted liberals” from the “left”, or drug-addicted “street people”, or Snobs educated intellectuals, or rabid football fans, or tattooed, NASCAR enthusiasts. Babies are exposed to these philosophies and adopt these characteristics from the role models they live with. That being said, are these developed personalities authentic, genuine, or real?
How does common sense, or lack thereof, play a role in living as a genuine person?
Is the definition of “fake” (or acting like “fake”) the opposite of authentic, genuine, and real?
When the time comes when a person realizes that they are not as authentic as they might want to be, how does a person find their way back to an authentic self? And how will you really know that you have reached that inner place of being genuine, real, and authentic? (Is it a feeling of introspection or can it be understood through a process of evaluation?)
Does being “real” allow for unfiltered, sarcastic, inappropriate, uninhibited impulsiveness? Today, many people express themselves through a cynical, sarcastic, and caustic style that seems to be in vogue among many celebrities and pundits who are allowed a great deal of media exposure. As a society, tolerance, acceptance, and celebration of this style of behavior seem to communicate insecurity and the need to patronize fellow citizens. This lack of tolerance and respect seems endemic in our culture. Why do we have to put other people or concepts down just to magnify ourselves or our opinions?
Also, is there a moment in people’s lives when they realize that they have been chasing a dream or expectations that may be unsatisfactory? When we are young, we impulsively strive for a cultural expectation of “success” which during “midlife” (mid 30’s to late 40’s) changes dramatically causing dissatisfaction and unhappiness that can cause dramatic changes in career choices, relationships and lifestyles? Would better self-awareness with authenticity allow for greater life satisfaction before, during, and after these middle-aged jobs? Does the desire for midlife change denote a need to strive for greater self-awareness, authenticity, or authenticity?