> Authenticity didn't start to become a thing people cared about until about the early 1990s… In your lifetime, but… Another common theme in the philosophy of

> Authenticity didn't start to become a thing people cared about until about the early 1990s… In your lifetime, but… Another common theme in the philosophy of both Dostoevsky and Descartes is the idea of authenticity. Dostoevsky believed that people must live authentically, in accordance with their true selves, and that this is essential for their happiness and well-being. Descartes, on the other hand, argued that the path to knowledge and certainty begins with the rejection of all previous beliefs and the adoption of a completely new and authentic perspective.¹ And of course, the U.S. counterculture movement of the 1960s was deeply preoccupied with authenticity: You note three themes underlying the American hippie experience: authenticity, individualism and community. Why did these concepts stand out, and what did they mean in the context of the hippie/counterculture movement? / W.R.: Although hippies often disagreed about beliefs and practices, they shared a desire to be authentic. Members of the counterculture condemned mainstream society for being conformist, rule-driven and uptight. Authenticity meant “doing your own thing.” Because freaks distrusted both society and government, individual decisions were applauded as the most authentic.² ¹ https://vocal.media/geeks/freedom-authenticity-and-the-mind https://vocal.media/geeks/freedom-authenticity-and-the-mind ² https://www.washington.edu/news/2015/08/17/uw-historian-william-rorabaugh-explores-60s-counterculture-in-american-hippies/ https://www.washington.edu/news/2015/08/17/uw-historian-will...