41 Comments
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Marlo Alexander's avatar

brilliant!! hits the nail on the head of the culture currently - sometimes artifice is more truthful than authenticity

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Rebecca H. McCormick's avatar

I feel like I’m still recovering from authenticity mayhem of the aughts. What does it even mean anymore when people decry an artist as an industry plant? Of course they are! Are we not all being molded by industry and corporations right now?

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courtney b 💕's avatar

I love “authenticity mayhem”

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Julie Fontes's avatar

“Temporarily embarrassed influencers” so brilliantly describes it, and it’s hard not to be one when you aspire to be a creative entrepreneur. Great essay, and I don’t even know who Addison Rae is.

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Holly's avatar

influencer culture & the increased emphasis on self-branding is so exhausting! we are simply not supposed to think about ourselves this much imo. fantastic essay, adds a new & much-needed perspective to a pervasive discussion!

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Noah's avatar

"we are simply not supposed to think about ourselves this much" could also apply to therapy

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

Loved your article! However, i'm also of the mind that Addison's rebrand is not a rebrand but just an artist discovering who they are. We are used to pop stars coming straight from the lab ready to be who and what they embody and it seems to me like addy was looking for herself in her first E.P and found herself more with her relationship with charli xcx and the whole gang. i'm really happy for her and looking forward to that new album so much, xx <3

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Jackie's avatar

Enjoyed reading this :0) I think a lot of perceived "inauthenticity" is simply a person changing their mind or becoming interested (dipping their toes in) a new hobby / politic / thought / look / whatever.. in the public eye. Don't think strangers can accurately comment on a person's authenticity, think only that person can reflect on their own. "Authenticity" seems to be something that will look different from an outside perspective as a person grows and changes.

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Soph's avatar

Can't say that I agree with this. Yes, at this point you'll never be 100% unique and authentic, but you can still be earnest and genuine! Come on!

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Biz Sherbert's avatar

the sauceeeeee!

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eliza mclamb's avatar

Addison is verryyyy American Style to me

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Biz Sherbert's avatar

She is the number one Style Star

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Jenn Pebbles's avatar

I like a lot of the points in this. I find myself wanting more out of the article, like a nod to some of the part of authenticity that are good too, or something. But yes, it feels good to just acknowledge how things are.

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Blaine's avatar

damn. this is kind of like the inverse of this tweet i saw: "Knowing that the isolated self is not more authentic than the performed self, and the truest self is the one that is actively desiring to be anything at all"... also need to reread White Noise like now

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John Doe's avatar

Do you listen to Sixteenth Minute of fame with Jamie Loftus? She did a whole series on brands on social media (ex. Duolingo Owl).

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John Doe's avatar

Also:

Overturn Citizens United

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Athina Katehi's avatar

https://louchinta.substack.com/p/misusing-individualism

Wrote about individualism last week, felt a similarity in our tone and felt a connection to what Dellilo states, as my own series is called "MISUSE". To be honest, I didn't even know Dellilo just until reading him now in this post, and will definitely check his work.

This was a very interesting read, I dug the first parts greatly

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starry's avatar

My favorite essay of yours yet!

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Jessy Easton's avatar

Wow this is such an interesting perspective that I needed to read. Thank you.

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Proof KATIE HOLLAND is Deep's avatar

guess I gotta accept the pain ❤️🤷🏻‍♀️

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Dzoara Berlín's avatar

Thank you!!! This is something I've been freaking out about since I moved in with an influencer (I just liked the room and it was decently priced, so I didn't think much of it). It blows my mind to see how carefully she takes care of her online image...how different she is from her normal, off-screen self. But every day I wonder if she's aware of it. It seems she isn't.

That's precisely why I've decided to take some time away from social media.

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