March 2007

Who are you calling authentic?

By Words of Colour co-founder Joy Francis

At a time when terms such as ‘star’ and ‘celebrity’ inspire derision rather than awe it seems like we may be facing the downsizing of another once meaningful word: authenticity.

Organic food is ‘authentic’ cry the ever-expanding supermarkets from Tesco to Sainsbury’s. Yet stories have filtered through of innumerable pesticides being used on organic produce, some of which have been banned.

Award-winning author Toni Morrison is ‘authentic’ cry the mainstream publishing establishment often because her poetic and historically-rooted words drawn from the hidden psyche of African America confound and defy them.

So who are we to believe? At the moment the public face of authenticity appears to rely on whomever is calling the shots, be it journalistically, politically, culturally, socially or historically. Should we self define or is it safer to wait until it is pointed out to us?

Oprah Winfrey in her phenomenally successful O magazine decided upon the latter approach. She recently devoted 12 pages to ‘The Authentics’ – 13 people she believed embodied the ‘it’: funny, provocative and able to ‘slice through the bull’.

The list which includes the likes of actress Jamie Lee Curtis, filmmaker Spike Lee, comedian Chris Rock and rock poet Patti Smith was guided by the principles of speaking up for what you believe in and refusing to be ruled by the desire for acceptance.

I would be beyond impressed if the 13 ‘Authentics’ who largely represent the world of entertainment where people-pleasing, to some degree, is compulsory had got this authenticity test sussed. Being authentic is borne out of an awareness of ones internal struggle, about wanting to be the best you can be and how, along that journey, you will speak your truth in that moment as best you can. And that isn’t always easy or pretty.

This can mean that what you promised last year may change this year. Does changing your mind then make you inauthentic? If so that would make Malcolm X, who moved from being a ‘pimp’ to questioning the morality of white people to embracing the notion of collective responsibility and working in partnership with other races, inauthentic.

The pressure to conform in today’s world is immense, leading to a false belief that to not change is the real deal. Tony Blair’s inability to accommodate that he may have made a mistake with the Iraq war is slowly being repackaged as evidence of him staying true to his convictions. We are also reminded that he is a Christian as an extra badge of honour. So does that make him authentic or just an arrogant misguided man? Are the two necessarily mutually exclusive?

What is more worrying is the impact this subtle reworking of authenticity, particularly in the commercial sphere, is having on the next generation. Wearing Nike makes you authentic. Having an iPod makes you first rate. If Channel 4’s yoof-focused drama Skins is anything to go by then being young, taking drugs and having unprotected sex takes you along the yellow brick road to authenticity.

What to believe? At the end of the day the old adage ‘to thine own self be true’ is still a good starting point, though it is helpful to have someone else’s input as you go along. But if you already, fully know yourself without a shadow of a doubt, then you are a much better woman (or man) than me.

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