Hello, dear TDA readers!
You’ll notice I haven’t been updating the Daily Word in two months now. This also underwent some spiritual self-examination, as I wasn’t sure I was reaching out to you, dear readers, as effectively as I should be. And so, I decided on three things:
One, I will be scaling back the Daily Word into the Weekly Word. From now on, our regular feature on a word related to living the good life well will be every Tuesday. All Daily Words will now be archived, and you can view them here.
Two, instead of reading like a generic post with just the dictionary entry and translations, the Weekly Word will also contain a short essay about its significance in personal social responsibility and social innovation.
Three, and I am proudest of this, the word will no longer be presented in just text form. I have the honor to be a good friend to someone who is a very talented artist. Kevin Christopher M. Tee, who went to school with me and is volunteering for BCYF, will be providing our Weekly Words in caricature form.
Now, to business, or rather, learning and enjoyment, our first Weekly Word and our first word for 2015.
| ɔːˈθɛntɪk |
When the word “authentic” comes to one’s mind, what does it usually mean? I’d say people mostly think of it in relation to luxury goods or entertainment – it’s original, not a pirated copy. Authentic Chanel. Authentic DVDs. An authentic specimen on display at the museum. They all mean one thing – the authentic item is genuine, known to be what it really is.
But in the context of living out one’s personal CSR, the word takes on a much deeper meaning. The Oxford Dictionary defines “authentic”, in the context of existentialist philosophy, as “relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life” (emphases my own). Look at the three words I bolded. Appropriate. Purposive. Responsible.
To live an authentic life is to live it responsibly. Consciously. In the right manner. Said manner of which is dictated by God – and the purpose of living is not only geared towards Him, but it is Him Himself.
To live an authentic life is to be true to others. To be transparent. To be honest. To show our true face beneath the many masks we wear everyday – to show the pure and original face underneath. The authentic one.
But most important, to live an authentic life is to be true to ourselves. To accept our strengths and weaknesses, our abilities and limitations. To fully embrace who we are and use it to serve others and God. After all, everything about us is a gift from God, and He pre-planned everything about ourselves beforehand, leaving no stone untouched. What better way to express gratitude than to give it back to Him, dedicating our entire lives for His greater glory?
Definition
adjective
- of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine
- made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original
- based on facts; accurate or reliable
- (in Existentialist Philosophy) relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life
- (in Music) (of a church mode) containing notes between the final (the principal note) and the note an octave higher
Etymology
Late Middle English, via Old French from late Latin authenticus, itself from Greek authentikos (“principal”, “genuine”).
In other languages
- Bahasa Indonesia: asli, sahih
- بهاس ملايو:
- تولين (tulen)
- صحيح (sahih)
- Cebuano: tinuod
- Deutsch: authentisch, echt
- Español: auténtico, genuino
- Filipino: mapananaligan, tunay
- Français: authentique, sincère
- 한국어: 진정한 (jinjeonghan)
- Italiano: autentico, genuino
- ភាសាខ្មែរ: បិត (bet)
- Latino: authenticus, verus, testatus
- မြန်မာဘာသာ:
- 日本語: 本物の (ほんものの)
- ພາສາລາວ: ແທ້ຈິງ (aethching)
- ภาษาไทย: แท้จริง (thæ̂cring)
- தமிழ்: உண்மையான (uṇmaiyāṉa)
- Tiếng Việt: xác thực, chánh thức
- 中文: 真實 (zhēnshí)
Aloy Chua 