People are motivated by authenticity. Deep down, they want to see truth prevail. Unfortunately, it’s often their own version of the truth they want to see come out on top, and that version of the truth is often hazy.

‘Version of the truth’ is an important phrase here, because people have the ability to convolute anything into a state that makes sense to them. People can justify cheating on an exam, stealing money, having sex with someone who isn’t their partner, killing people for their religious beliefs, and so forth. Clearly the truth isn’t black and white – in fact, it’s mostly grey.

But scary as versions of the truth might be, they are also amazing and inspiring.

People dream that they can escape the poverty in which they grew up, that they can stop their addicted minds from taking another drink, that they can change the world.

Members of society once did things because they felt their views and beliefs were important. They formed countercultures to get these ideas and beliefs – their version of the truth – across to the rest of society. And they made change happen.

Why is it that people just don’t form countercultures anymore, and why is it that those countercultures which are formed are simply cliché?

Perhaps it’s because being a member of those very countercultures – and having the desire to rebel – is what makes someone today the exact same as their contemporaries.

Whenever an identity becomes marketable, an organization will market it, and therefore nothing is new or original.

Every one of us fits into a stereotype – even those that intentionally try not to fit into a stereotype can be categorized as ‘Those people that try not to be stereotypical.’

Although we are individualistic, we are not individuals. And can there really be any truth to life if this is the case?

No wonder we’re apathetic.

But despite what some may think, we’re not a lost cause. People are still motivated by what they believe to be authentic – Obamamania is proof of this.

We just need to learn to be a little more creative, perhaps move a bit faster than American Apparel and other trendy organizations.

Unfortunately, the irony-drenched hipster stereotype currently mass-fed to society isn’t helping.

Published in Volume 63, Number 18 of The Uniter (January 29, 2009)