On being authentic / Charles Guignon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Guignon, Charles B., 1944-

Series:

Thinking in action

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Authenticity (Philosophy).

Self-realization.

Physical Description:

xiv, 185 pages ; 21 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge, 2004.

Summary:

"To thine own self be true." From Polonius's words in "Hamlet "right up to Oprah, we are constantly urged to look within. Why is being authentic the ultimate aim in life for so many people, and why does it mean looking inside rather than out? Is it about finding the "real" me, or something greater than me, even God? Thought-provoking and with an astonishing range of references, "On Being Authentic" is a gripping journey into the self that begins with Socrates and Augustine. Charles Guignon asks why being authentic ceased to mean being part of some bigger, cosmic picture and with Rousseau, Wordsworth and the Romantic movement, took the strong inward turn alive in today's self-help culture. He also plumbs the darker depths of authenticity, with the help of Freud, Carl Jung and Konrad Lorenz, and reflects on the future of being authentic in a postmodern, global age. He argues ultimately that being authentic is not about what is owed to me but how I depend on others.

Contents:

The culture of authenticity

The enchanted garden

The modern worldview

Romanticism and the ideal of authenticity

The heart of darkness

De-centering the subject

Story-shaped selves

Authenticity in context.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-180) and index.

ISBN:

0415261228

0415261236

OCLC:

53967053