Co-opted by brands and corporations, has authenticity become an empty fantasy? Where can you find the ‘real you’? How can we have authentic relationships in a world of inequality? Does authenticity mean the same thing for everyone? 

We have long been obsessed with the authentic. 50 years after the Existentialists expounded the dangers of bad faith, self-help entreaties to ‘be true to yourself’ join a torrent of brands proclaiming themselves the ‘real deal’. Yet living authentically is far from simple. As Sartre said, “If you seek authenticity for authenticity’s sake you are no longer authentic.

What does it mean to ‘be oneself’? Does authenticity promise fulfilment? And in a world where #nofilter selfies are posted for likes and plain-speaking politicians trade re-tweets for votes, is being ‘real’ a sham?

In this issue of IAI News, we tackle authenticity. Our contributors examine this contested concept, investigating its role in philosophy, politics and popular culture. They ask whether our infatuation with the ‘real’ drives us towards a deeper, more meaningful existence, or whether we are in pursuit of a deceptive and dangerous illusion