Authenticity Is a Creative Process of Creating One’s Essence

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The pillars of existentialism are freedom and authenticity.
Authenticity is a process of creating one's essence.
Authenticity is not a fixed state, but a continuous creative process.
Creating authenticity involves embracing freedom and making choices about one's identity.
Authenticity is not determined at birth, but is developed throughout life.
It is never too late to start thinking about one's freedom and who they want to become.
Authenticity is a personal journey that each individual must navigate on their own.
Understanding the concepts of freedom, choice, activity, transcendence, and authenticity can help raise consciousness and guide individuals in discovering their authenticity.
Boveois provides guidelines and important insights on authenticity, but ultimately, it is up to each person to find their own authenticity.

God is dead, as Nietzsche’s madman memorably reminded us. So what are we going to do about it? If there is no powerful force out there to guide us and give meaning to our lives, how are we supposed to live? Do we have to come up with meaning and purpose ourselves? Apparently so, and how to pull it off was a major question addressed by the existentialist movement. Skye Cleary turns to Simone de Beauvoir, in particular, for thoughts on how to construct an authentic life. Her recent book is How to Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment.

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Skye Cleary received a Ph.D. and an MBA from Macquarie University. She is an author and philosopher and also teaches at Columbia University and the City College of New York. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Aeon, The Times Literary Supplement, TED-Ed, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among other outlets. She won the 2017 New Philosopher Writers’ Award and was a 2021 MacDowell Fellow.

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