The Ethics of Authenticity

I really enjoyed reading Charles Taylor’s The Ethics of Authenticity. I thought it was very insightful and provided several ways to live a good life. I think one of the keys to living a good life is to always be true to yourself and what you value. I enjoyed how Taylor believes that being authentic isn’t just about doing whatever you feel like; it is about finding what is genuinely important to you and living your life in a way that aligns with those values. I believe that doing the things that are genuinely important to you and living your life according to your values will help you live not just a good life but a great life. Taylor also mentions that society can make being authentic harder due to the pressure to conform to others. I agree with this, especially since we are now in an age with influencers and trendy clothes, dances, accessories, etc. Having trends and influencers be so prevalent in our lives increases the similarities between everyone because it is all people see. I think that trends can be good, and I do not think that having the same things as other people diminishes one’s authenticity; however, I do think that it makes people look less authentic when looking from an outside perspective.