Authenticity

MisterAshmodai​(dom male) • Jun 16, 2024

Even if you are mostly correct, I would still ask that you not lump ALL of us together.

Some of us get it.

Ingénue{VK} • Jun 16, 2024

Please note the use of "often" on my part.

tallslenderguy​(other male) • Jun 16, 2024

i note the distinction, appreciate and agree with the original observation. i think it was simply, and profoundly put. i think there is so much seen and unseen that contributes to that.
One of those things, i believe, is culture largely conditions males from an early age to believe we are rational, but not emotional, beings. That social notion, and subsequent expectation, often means guys often develop lop sided. Their rational side may grow, but their emotional self remains stunted. Lack of emotional self awareness affects the process of communication and connection. If one doesn't know how and why they feel, how can they convey that? i think empathy is a part of the mature/ing response to self awareness, where we realize our connectedness to others.
The more "room" each leaves for the other means the bigger house we both get to enjoy and live in, vs living in the limited space we build for just our self.

TopekaDom​(dom male) • Jun 16, 2024

Define "authentic".

Discordant • Jun 16, 2024

I suppose I would do what I would do with any words that come my way. I would evaluate the speaker’s knowledge of me and decide whether or not I needed to take a look at myself.

If the speaker was someone whose insights on my behavior were valued to me, I would take a look at me.

If the speaker’s insights had little or no value, I would ignore it and tell the speaker to sit on something pointy, although in the BDSM community that could backfire on me.

LoveMaster​(dom male) • Jul 18, 2024

The meaning of Authenticity comes from Psychology.

Psychology recognize that in the process of development, the Self adapt to the Caregiver in order to guarantee its survival and not be abandoned.

The child is sensitive to the emotive reactions of the Parent/Caregiver, and try to please it at the cost of his own Authenticity.
Simply we show a behavior in order to please our surroundings, instead to show our true reactions and feelings.

If you learn to do this in a very early stage, even before to become able to speak, you may be completely unaware of your real feelings, and you completely identify on what you think Society expects from you.

Social Self (the Persona, which in greek means 'Mask') is what you show to others.
True Self is what you feel, how your body reacts.

The part of us that we neglect, become our 'Shadow', that usually include: aggressivity, sexuality, spirituality, intense emotional reactions... all the Child behaviors which disturb the Parent/Caregiver.

Sweetlydepraved​(masochist female){Mostly} • Jul 19, 2024

All it means is be consistent. Match your actions to your words. Match your energy to your words. Align your inner beliefs with your actions. Don’t be wishy washy, define your values and beliefs and stay true to those as best as you can. Society doesn’t always work that way, it’s harder than it sounds.

No one can determine if you’re being your authentic self but you, and it’s no one else’s business if you are or aren’t.