I am putting aside what was ready for today as I have been thinking about Lou Reed’s passing. And I can’t say that I was a fan. I don’t own any of his records and we couldn’t afford the tickets to his concert in Arles’ Antique Theatre a few years back. But I am an admirer. Because I know enough about him to have seen that he was true, to himself and to what he wanted to create. He was…a word that I tend to dance around gingerly these days…authentic.
Let’s see how that word is defined… well, there are actually quite a few options in Merriam-Webster but I’ll choose what suits me: “Authentic: real or genuine, not copied of false. True and accurate. True to one’s own personality, spirit or character.” And interestingly, as related to music: “of a cadence: progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic.” My musicians friends, is that appropriate for his music? Tell me, I am curious.
I am ambling towards a question and feel free to answer or not as it suits you. I know that there is talk in the popular parlance of “living an authentic life” but there seems to be so much space around that idea that I am not sure what to make of it. Or maybe I have put upon it a sticky veneer that is ready to be wiped away. Mr. Reed might have shredded such a feel-good cliché on his guitar while imperceptibly nodding his head in time.
And yet, we all need comfort. Reassurance. So often we look outwards for it but if I can remember, I will tell you along with myself that it is there within, that diamond bright of true. Real or genuine, not copied or false.
What does authenticity mean to you? Does it mean the same thing as “being true”? Is it something that matters in your conscious thoughts or efforts? If I am being honest, really honest, I don’t have an easy answer myself or at least not one that I could explain quickly. But I have a feeling that it is not in the absolute nor in the gigantic. Not all of us can soar through a life but we do, each of us, have our wings.
I am going to read Ben Ratliff’s article on Lou Reed this afternoon. If you would like to join me, you can find the link here.
And I will close by saying that I did wait on Lou Reed once in New York, while he was dining outside on a warm summer evening, leaning in closely to his companion, Laurie Anderson. I am no gossip but I find it worth mentioning that while Lou Reed will remain acclaimed in music history as a “punk poet” the man I saw that evening was every inch a gentleman.
These are difficult questions. I think I am authentic but not necessarily true to my entire nature. I think I may be true to a small essential part of my nature; the part that I want to grow, the part I want my whole nature to be, the part I work at to make come true.
If I were being true, right now, to the greater part of my nature I would probably be a lesser person and a self-indulgent one, and most likely not very nice. Wow, it's complicated 🙂
Oh Lordy Heather….this post takes some time to contemplate…lots of fabulous food for thought in there…but authenticity, I think, is the difference between people who inspire one and those who don't.
Oh, and just for the record (boom, boom) I loved his music…that deep voice…
Freud might comment that it is impossible to not be authentic to yourself in that the true person always comes out, one way or another.
TELL IT AS YOU SEE IT SISTER……………..being honest.Being yourself.
I understand what you're asking but I don't know what to answer. How's that for a response? It fails miserably, I know. I want to be true to myself and I wish that I had the courage to leave the corporate world and follow my heart. But I'm just too darn scared
Authenticity is, for me, being true to yourself. I have yet to attain, completely, this exalted status. But I am finally letting my gray hair grow in….do you think that counts? 😉
Clear and true. No pretensions like a samurai.
A very sweet post! Nice that the passing of Lou Reed inspired your thoughts today. It is hard to find truly authentic people because it seems that everyone or many at least are always trying to get something or achieve something and they leave their authentic selves at home.
By "abnormal" behavior, I mean bad behavior that harms those who live with it. It was a poor word choice. What I hated most was that it wasn't labeled honestly.
Growing up in a household where abnormal behavior was never honestly acknowledged, "authenticity" has always been important to me. I intensely dislike affectation, the opposite of being true. Writing about topics that feel real and important to me (insert italics) is much more rewarding than trying to be a cheerleader for stuff I don't care about. As I've gotten older, "being true" in friendships, writing, and other arenas has become more important than ever. It's a big topic, lots to think about here. This is my first stab at participating in this conversation.