I’ve been thinking about this one for a while now. Sometimes my brain needs to sit and stew a bit. In fact, I’m thinking that’s a behavior that’s wise for all to periodically examine… am I sitting and stewing, pausing and reflecting, considering what I say before I just blurt it out? Or do I let my emotion run wild, come hell or high water, and just say what I think when I think it… Still processing, friends.
My stewing sense is we have a deep shortage. There is something lacking among us. Something we desperately crave…
According to various food, farmer and supplier associations, for example, the following (unlucky 13) food shortages are expected in 2023:
- Beef
- Lettuce
- Beer (… which interestingly, may now be creatively averted by the current Bud Light controversy…)
- Champagne
- Oranges
- Cooking oil
- Butter
- Corn
- Eggs
- Tomatoes
- Bread
- Olive oil
- Infant formula
In addition to food, multiple other products are in short supply… lithium/other EV components, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors among them…
But I’m thinking there’s something bigger… something, yes, true, intangible, but also, far more valuable. We crave authenticity.
authenticity – the quality of being authentic; genuineness.
So what does it mean to be authentic?
authentic –
- not false or copied; genuine; real.
- having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified.
- representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself or to the person identified.
- entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy.
In other words, to be authentic means to be real. No question. No PR. No propaganda nor saying what you think we want to hear or what simply sounds best. It’s saying what’s true, trustworthy… while also having an honest opinion about self and sharing that appropriately. We crave what’s genuine and real.
It’s why we grimace when some speak — the leaders who claim a demonstrative moral high ground one day but the day before justified total denigration. It’s why we cringe when former Pres. Trump belts out his latest boastful bravado or current Pres. Biden attempts to act as if he was responsible for no errors in Afghanistan. It’s why we shake our heads when NBA star Draymond Green stomps on an opponent’s rib cage in the middle of a playoff game this week and responds with “I gotta land my foot somewhere.”
My point is this. It takes zero rocket science to discern if what those persons are telling us is reliable, genuine, supported by unquestionable evidence, trustworthy or true.
And sadly, because those in the limelight do it, many of us follow in response. A little lie here. A little lie there. It may be partially true. But partially true, is not true…
Didn’t feel like going to work today? I’ll just say I wasn’t feeling great.
Didn’t want to have that hard conversation? I’ll just tell them I’m busy.
Didn’t want to admit my mistake? Oh, easy. I can point to what they did.
And just like that, the trickle down theory of inauthenticity is accepted and spreads. And spreads some more.
That’s hard. Especially when what we crave — and desperately need — is so much better and more.
Respectfully…
AR