The Importance of Authenticity for Self and Society

TLDR

Authenticity has become a central concern as societies shift from industrial to postindustrial and from modern to postmodern, a trend noted by scholars of social structure, culture, and social psychology. The article defines authenticity as a commitment to self‑values, argues its pervasive influence on culture, institutions, and individual selves, and proposes that this framework can help social scientists better conceptualize the self in postindustrial society. Authenticity is conceptualized by drawing on Rosenberg and Turner, framing it as a commitment to one’s self‑values. The framework’s relevance is shown by its implications for identity theory and its implicit use in contemporary discussions of the self.

Abstract

The transition from industrial to postindustrial society and from modern to postmodern culture has led to increased interest in authenticity. Such interest is widespread not only among those studying changes in social structure and culture but also among those who adhere to the social psychological tenet that self reflects society, and society, the self. In this article, I specify how issues of authenticity have become a pervasive part of our culture, our institutions, and our individual selves. Building on both Rosenberg and Turner, I conceptualize authenticity in terms of a commitment to self‐values. The relevance of this conceptualization is illustrated, first by demonstrating its implications for identity theory and second through its implicit use by others writing about the contemporary experience of being oneself. I conclude with a discussion of how this approach to authenticity may be used by social scientists to better conceptualize self in a way that explicitly incorporates the cultural implications of today's postindustrial society.