Martin Heidegger’s theory of human existence is outlined by Dasein and creating your own most possibility through authenticity. However; he acknowledges that societal influences or 'das man' inflict potential instead of encourage possibility, which limits independent self development.
One of the ways my own possibility is being limited by 'das man' is though the idea of success. I am inauthentic because I do not know what I want in my life to feel successful, and I base a lot of what I think will bring me happiness on what is expected of me.
In what ways are you not being authentic in your life and how is that affecting your own most possibility? Do you believe that it is possible to be truly authentic and free from societal influences?
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The ways that I am not being authentic in my life is by trying to reach goals that society has set for me rather then what I have set for myself. For example, pursuing a post secondary education is an idea I've developed through society. I don't know if it is necessarily affecting my own most possibility as what I want to do in my career is something I have thought of on my own, and in order to do this I have to pursue a post-secondary education. I don't believe it is possible to be truly authentic and free from societal influences while one is living in society. I believe that 'Das Man' will always have an influence on members of society.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, same for me I am inauthentic too I don't really know what I want, and if I do know what I want it doesn't make any difference of what society thinks is successful and I don't think it is successful!what do we always have to expect something from people like what they think and to prove to them we are successfule or not! who cares!
ReplyDeleteI belive the influence of 'Das man' in inescapeable. We need to put our ideas together and work together in order to form a society. If we were all our utmost possibility it would be much harder to collectivly work together. Life is finding a balance between 'Das man' and ourselves. That being said Das man is what influenced me to stay in school, get a job, apply to college, all things which could potentially help me. So perhaps 'Das man' can be a good influence. 'The man' really is what provides order in our society, without order we as humankind may not have progressed as far. Without somthing saying we should go to school, would we have good doctors, nurses, teachers, writers, engineers, or architects? Without 'Das man' telling us whats inappropriate, would walking down a busy street be more stressfull or less safe? We as people all influence what 'Das man' is, if the mans screwing us over we have the ability to go protest and try to make changes. It may not always work, but 'Das man' is really just the collected conscience of people. We don't have to dislike the man, because we are all a part of whoever the man happens to be.
ReplyDeleteIf we were to becomely purely authentic , then we would be complete social outcasts.This is because even speaking your mind would make you inauthentic because now what you have said is left to other people's interpretation. So really I think it would be impossible because in the end we all have to live with other people.
ReplyDelete@ Megan, that's interesting. I think it was either though, that it was Sartre that believed that there is no cuh thing as a defined Human Nature.
Authenticity, or as Sartre puts it, sincerity, is an unachievable ideal. Sincerity is impossible in beings who have a consciousness of themselves. In Being and Nothingness, Sartre explains that the only way to be sincere, is to be in bad faith. To be in bad faith is to lie to yourself, you cannot be sincere if you are lying to yourself. To be self aware means to objectify yourself, when you do this bad faith becomes a reality.
ReplyDeleteI believe I am very similar to you; the notion of success is what sort of drives me to doing what I want to do for a living.
ReplyDeleteAs a career, I would love to become a teacher and writer and people are always telling me how much money I can make doing such a thing, and where I can go doing it.
But to be honest with myself, the only reason I want to become a teacher or writer is because it's something I would love to do. For writing as a passion and the desire to teach something that's always been apart of me, it just seemed like the right thing to do.
But even my teachers and guidance counselors are trying to push me in the direction of this because they believe it will be the best for me and not having in mind at all what it is I really wish to pursue.
And at times, I think this influences me a lot because I do get praise for my work as a writer and I think in my mind I believe it's the easiest way to go without having to apply myself to the full extent.
Also, the things I tend to write about are very controversial at times and people around me are always telling me how they don't agree. In those moments, I tend to rethink about writing it but then go through with it anyway because I know that it's what I feel and people be damned if they tell me I should think the same way as them.
I believe that I strive so much to be authentic that I end up losing myself in what I'm trying to achieve. Trying to become authentic is mentally draining, and I find that it limits my own functioning in the "das man".
ReplyDeleteWe're all just little shells of possible authentics waiting to burst out with potential, but the das man is engulfing and stopping us from being.
It is not possible to be truly authentic. For example in the movie "I love Huckabees" The French author who makes the other two characters Tommy and Albert to hit each other on their face with a balloon till they cease to think, While they are ceased thats what she believe to be called "Being Pure" and after a while when Tommy and Albert gets back to normal, she believed that it was just a cycle that repeats it self.
ReplyDeleteso basically what i meant by that example was that we cannot be truly authentic all the time.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, I am being inauthentic in my life, because I am trying to follow the ladder that the society has set, but in a way I am also going against it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am stressing out and scrambling about to get my average up to the "standart" to be admitted to the programm I want to be in. However, my mother has always wanted me to go into finance, since "that is where the money is at, todat", she says. Well, I may have fallen into that before, and even started to believe that being artistic and creative will get me literally nowhere in life. Lately, though, I found ways around it, to be true to myself. Afterall, that's what makes ME happy, what do I care if finance gives more money?
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ReplyDeleteI think that alot of people feel the same way as you.
ReplyDeleteEven through class discussion I believe it became oblivious that a lot of students feel that they would like to pursue something creative after high school, but feel pressured to go to university by things like 'das man' and parents.
I personally feel that I am unable to form deeper connections and closeness with other people because of 'das man'. I am unable to express my true opinions and thoughts with the people I care about because I am afraid of the judgment of "das man"
Not only do I feel that "das man" hold back my potential for connection. But I also feels that it effects individual freedom and thought.
ReplyDeleteFor example our current "dad mas'/society seems to believe intellectual/philiospophy knowledge is the greatest and smartest. But why do we think this way?
If there was a man who spent his whole life study and obtaining knowledge about something like "pop culture" or "the different types of building materials" does that make him any more or less smart than a man who studied philosophy ?
I think to be authentic, you would need to act entirely in the moment. Every second would be completely spontaneous. If you didn't think, and you acted on impulse. Basically, if you were insane, you would probably be quite authentic. That or dumb, deaf and blind.
ReplyDeleteThen there's instinct. Our instinct is our "backup piece" when it comes down to really deciding something. Sometimes it can be good, sometimes not so much. But it comes from our genetics, our very essence. If we could live through instinct, then we would be free.
It seems to me that being authentic begins with being true to yourself.When you live an authentic life, you are living a life that reflect with your inner being, free from relationships that limit possibilities. Living authentically means to be happy with who you are, as you are, trying to be able to be yourself, not someone that someone else thinks you should be.
ReplyDeleteBeing authentic is the key to truly happy,a healthy relationships. It is not possible to be happy without being true to yourself. according to Heidegger.and i think if you live with authenticity it will lead you to your incredible self and will free you from societal influences.
Heidegger said that being with others takes away Dasein from us, therefore I think that we can’t be truly authentic and free from societal influence. The reason for that is because, we as human beings are design to be with other human beings that we like. This will lead to interfering with human “existence” or Dasein; therefore, if we lose part of our own existence to other human being it is impossible to be authentic. Heidegger also said that as soon as we speak, we do not own our own words and they are in the hands of Das Man to be interpreted. This means that without owning our own words every one can use them in a way where they can portray our Dasein in a way they want. Other people can present our words in a way that is nothing special or even bad compare to the rest of the society. Therefore we cant talk about complete authenticity when we cant even control our words.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem with most philosophies is that they are more based on theory versus practice. Even Heidegger’s ‘Das Man’ may seem foolproof, but at what point can you say that you are “fully authentic”? Is it possible to ever be free of inauthenticity?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't think this type of being is attainable, to say at the very least.
Sometimes I think that people we label as "insane" are the only authentic ones. It is bizarre how they don't care if they're judged and can go about just being happy with the sunshine, or be amused at the stillness of the walls. Maybe they're the only ones who are authentic to themselves and truly happy.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Heidegger, being authentic is being one true self. I think in a way I'm quite authentic because I never lived up to anyone else's expectation, including my own parents. But the thought of being authentic also makes me uneasy for it sounds too good for my own making failure.
ReplyDeleteI have discovered a lot about myself and my inauthenticity since starting this philosophy course. And a new feeling is that i really do not care. The more I study it, the more I start to let go of das man's expectations of me. I want to feel successful but am limiting myself for I can never feel any natural success if I am not true to my nature. I may not know what I what right now, but that is okay.
ReplyDeleteI got a lot out of todays class, and a lot out of this course. I feel calmer with less anxiety about life as it is only a life long journey. I do not have any time limits on myself, and my meaning should come stickily from my own heart.
I think that B. Russell was the most influential philosopher, because he outlines the power of thought and liberation within the value of philosophy.
Thank you, Heather!