Authenticity

The Ways of the Muse

It’s not for the attention, although that most certainly affects me. It’s a form of self-expression. There is a world inside that has to be externalized, it wants to break out, it needs to break out. Otherwise, it will burn out inside and the creative wisp will suffocate.

There are many ways the Self can be expressed. People might think it’s ego-ridden or for approval, but the reality is that we find comfortable ways of expressing ourselves and just go with it. At least those of us who find the courage to do so. Whether it’s via social media platforms, clothing, speaking, dancing, interior design, music, cooking, painting, joking, skateboarding, you name it.

Perhaps we can also slip into the well of pretentious self-absorbed modern-day maniacs. I pray to God that I realize my narcissism and attention-seeking before it’s too late. Or better yet, realize it after the fact and gain the experiential knowledge of what it means to do things for the wrong reasons and never repeat that mistake again.

The Paradox

The Devil can cast his spell and play his cunning tricks, luring me into the notorious Pit of Pleasures, where I lose sight of what is right and wrong. And so, I may be blinded and not even know it. But I can most certainly feel when I am being authentic. And with the openness to both possibilities, I believe the true understanding of authenticity can be revealed.

As a human being, I am flawed and far from perfect. Not perfect exactly in that sense, that I may exhibit narcissism, superficial desires, immorality, and inauthenticity of character. I believe that the paradox can be described as follows:

The person who seeks to be an authentic human being also has to accept the fact that his or her authenticity may be compromised on account of themselves, even if that goes against the definition of authenticity. Within the core, one maintains personal integrity and shamelessness of one’s weaknesses of character. Initially, it seems to contradict the description of an authentic human being, but one of the reasons why a person would neglect accepting the possibility of them compromising their own authenticity is because they are afraid of losing the status Authentic. That’s a sign of a corroded personality. One’s status has nothing to do with the actual authenticity of the person. To walk one’s road truly, to not get sidetracked by trivial superficial matters, is one of the pillars of authentic behavior.

The Illusion of Choice

By accepting the fact that one is not true to oneself, the door is opened and previously neglected flaws flood into the light from the darkness. And such an event may be difficult to bear. It’s heavy, dark, new but from the past, incredibly personal, and most of all, unapologetically true. At that point, the realization hits that all of that has to be dealt with to become that desired truthful and authentic person. And that realization can be too much. Therefore, it may just be easier to live in a 180-degree scope, where it’s fine the way it is, where you’re OK with a half-assed world. A world where you’re just “OK.” And the longer you are in a status quo, the stiffer your bones get.

An authentic road is always full of crossroads and jesters that play with the minds of travelers and vagabonds. But such a path would not be meaningful if it did not have something on the other side of the scales to balance it out. The rules of the universe are based on the perfect unity of opposites, and we are the nomads that navigate through this magnum opus.

Hello, fellow beautiful mole throbbed down the pipeline! My name is Elliott, and I’m just reporting the latest news from up above the underground. Here in the catacombs, we issue a good dose of intellectual masturbation.

The Electric Pipeline is providing a perspective on the psychological human state and its dynamics, where the world’s heading, and what can the (wo)man in the mirror do about it. Thanks for reading and see you around!