http://enlit.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/sincerity-and-authenticity/ The Nature and Future of Enlightenment Thinking in the 21st Century Sun, 18 May 2008 10:52:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU http://enlit.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/sincerity-and-authenticity/#comment-3 Aicha Sat, 31 Mar 2007 22:58:13 +0000 http://enlit.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/sincerity-and-authenticity/#comment-3 I agree with Patterson, but up to a point: authenticity and sincerity are deeply connected, and you can't have "sincere" behavior without some kind of emotional authenticity behind it. A politican can be a raging homophobe and racist yet be courteous toward the gay and black community in order to advance his career, or a waitress may be sincerely flattered by the attentions of a greasy, rich patron. But the problem is that people can sense when you try to hide your deepest emotions beneath a veneer of social politeness. It's troubling for them to watch, and it's troubling for the "inauthentic but sincere" person to take actions that veer too far off from inner conviction. When that facade explodes - that's when we get guys like Mark Foley, that's when we get the late-life divorce of couples that secretly hated each other for 50 years. The emotional connections that Patterson dismisses *must* be there to back up those "sincere" actions, at least if these actions are to be sustained over time. I agree with Patterson, but up to a point: authenticity and sincerity are deeply connected, and you can’t have “sincere” behavior without some kind of emotional authenticity behind it. A politican can be a raging homophobe and racist yet be courteous toward the gay and black community in order to advance his career, or a waitress may be sincerely flattered by the attentions of a greasy, rich patron. But the problem is that people can sense when you try to hide your deepest emotions beneath a veneer of social politeness. It’s troubling for them to watch, and it’s troubling for the “inauthentic but sincere” person to take actions that veer too far off from inner conviction. When that facade explodes - that’s when we get guys like Mark Foley, that’s when we get the late-life divorce of couples that secretly hated each other for 50 years. The emotional connections that Patterson dismisses *must* be there to back up those “sincere” actions, at least if these actions are to be sustained over time.

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