What is Authenticity?

11 years ago

This was mentioned elsewhere, it's worthy of discussion.

I strive for authenticity but in my striving, I find I'm not.
Pottery Barn originals are my authenticity standard, as opposed to flea market knockoffs of PB.
So, I have never been to France, But I like French Country, is that the equivalent of a French person liking cowboys? (which would make me laugh derisively)
The term Authentic usually reminds me of this from the list Stuff White People Like.

People I know who are authentic would never have this discussion! So maybe it's overrated....

Here is a link that might be useful: Stuff White People Like

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (67)

Elraes Miller
11 years ago
Authenticity brings a wide range of items. The first I can think of is original AC furniture and decor in an AC home. Trends have tried but never quite get there with the reproductions. Not sure I could live in a home with complete authenticity

The only thing I have authentic is American Indian bowls from a friend who's grandmother is recognized in the Smithsonian and other world museums. They are kept with other pieces of family history in a small case. Oh, and some original snow shoes, little sleds, etc. for winter decor. Then I bring in authentic flowers from the garden during spring/summer.

My small authentic collection, from business travel, includes books for the kids from local writers and a cookbook from each area.
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
Sorry - got up on my high horse for a minute. Just because one is thought to be privileged in some way doesn't necessarily lessen the sensitivity to being misunderstood, or tarred with the broad brush.

Observations about people can be funny or ugly, and I think there are both on the site. It's fine for members of any tribe to make cutting fun of their own, but caution needs to be exercised when taking a whack at somebody else's.

I'm over myself now...

Back to the subject of authenticity.

There's innate authenticity, as in a real piece of Anasazi pottery, or Georg Jensen silver, or a handwoven cloth or hand carved mirror frame.

Then there's authenticity in presentation. Does a house reflect the true nature, tastes, and life of its inhabitants, or is it trying to present something else, whether from dissatisfaction with or insecurity about what's actually true?

My house is full of books, some of which I inherited, and many but not all of which I have read. There's a New Yorker cartoon that I like so much that I ordered note cards with it on the front. A man holding a bottle of wine and two glasses is saying to a woman who is looking at his wall of shelves, "I've had those books for years. They represent the person I once aspired to be."

It's a cautionary tale... :>)
Related Discussions
What makes an authentic Torii?
Q
Comments (31)
Bacchus, thank you for the enlightenment, that took some time and thought. if I understand correctly then the transmission of noise should be at a grade 6 level, across the board, rather than to include something for everyone. (?) -for me offering more is a kinder expression of thought and intent, intended rather as consideration for others than to dictate 'what should be' which removes the receiver of their involvement.. which I deem as rude. Readers can always refer back to it when the first layers have been adsorbed. Correspondingly, I self deprecate by alluding to others eyes glazing over, as self directed humour, since many have commented on the effect privately as they printed the post and refer to it later. yet with parallel relevance to the (misnomer authentic) 'best expression of Torii', then the side bar murmured suggestion should be, by example, referenced to Mikawa's fine composition, that the bamboo spout is too pointed and the pathway is missing stones and it is too square. And leave it at that. No explanation. Which, for me is simply being rude. whereas, the (my) actual reflection would be that culturally, the spout is cut too pointed signifying a spear, rather than a bamboo aquaduct provided for fresh water coming from the 8 mountains. The cut angle of the spout is what indicates the difference between western thought and eastern thought -which is the practical use of a specific shape. The sharper angle may be more aesthetic for the spouting water, however, this lack of understanding the spear with its cultural baggage is the difference between a good garden and 'How beautiful, I've seen nothing like it in Japan'. This is also reflected in the composition in that the stone pathway signifies that it is only to be seen, not used, and that in a subtle way the stones are arranged backwards. -- or 2 to 3 stones are missing in the photographs. And that in the layout the direction 'appears' unuseable, both for candle and water, as well as for the users comfort. (Inshuldigungen Mikawa, dass ich Ihren Garten so benutze, Ich hoffe das Sie gut verstehen dass ich garnichts negativ meine.... als Gaertner zu Gaertner meine ich Dieses nur als Hilfe fuer dass gesammpte besserung, mange tak -- p.s. do you prefer Danish or German?) This would (in simple terms) reflect to /Henriks composition, wherein the basin should be moved outwards into the ocean (and note the excellently selected 4 piled stones in Mikawa's ocean are waves), that shadow depth should created to the right, a branch used for the aquaduct, rustic lantern to the fence side, proper heights observed to the candle stone relative to the basin with the water stone shorter ---and 3 stones imbedded into the pavers to indicate the active use, of and how to use, the basin --and if moved to the inside of the 'fence', then it would dictate what type of garden would need to be there instead of the landscape garden he desires, not to mention that the reading/meaning changes drastically. whereas normally to intrigue and appeal to all knowledge levels i would explain the 8 mountain (mandala) template which is the equivalent of the Christian 4 rivers quadrants. (which would assist Christian, Inkognito and a few others) And in this way, leave the decisions to the gardeners, so that they get something from it now, and something from it later, and again, later,.. if, if they so choose. -and suggest that the lantern, basin and spout be constructed in rustic fashion of a hollowed short log, charred for water retention, a boulder constructed lantern perhaps with combined wood, and a hollowed and charred branch for the spout as juxtaposition of the shin vs so, rather than having the composition vanish comparitive to the strength of the brick pattern by only employing gyo. Once again, allowing people to use what they wish, rather than dictating what should be, nor insulting good people by writing to a grade 6 level of comprehension. and /Henrik or others can ask for explanations from there, if i have time, which normally I do not. Better use of time and focus to write once than to write 7 times. I will reflect more on your recommendations bacchus, and thank you once again for them. --and ponder reading as well, since I rarely use a word that is not useful in a sentence. Words having no meaning, are edited out. If a garden were expressed in words (ie: to a blind person), what words would you use? meaningful ones rich with nuance to verbally see with? or perhaps we take our visual ability too much for granted, such that the verbal tapestry of communication has become a lost art? and should I only respond to one grade of reader? or contribute something so that I may enjoy this exchange as well, by suggesting a conversation at my preferred topic depth. It is not just, 'all about you'. It is about me as well. And at what depth of conversation? - so that I might enjoy my invested writing time and learn something more by participating (which your response has kindly provided) edzard Inkognito.. tis truth,.. I chuckled, and am still.. good advertisement concept for Advil... a missed calling?
...See More
What is "living authentically" to you?
Q
Comments (38)
Not sure how we got from authentic living to hoo-ha's! Yes mindfulness and authentic living can sound very pretentious, but that doesn't mean they don't have value. If I look back on my life, I realize that I am so different from who I used to be, yet in many ways, I seem to be circling back to who I used to be while expanding in other areas. So for me, I think authenticity is about being realistic about who you are today, being open to and accepting of the changes that come your way on a daily, yearly or decade-long basis, be it emotionally, intellectually or physically. It's about doing the best you can with what you've got ...emotionally, intellectually and physically... understanding that your goals, and aims may change or need to change as you and your circumstances change. But living authentically, being true to who you are, is not necessarily a good thing...not if it means rudeness or hurting others because you are 'authentically' expressing yourself. I mean, I'm sure Ted Bundy led a most authentic life...but I'd rather he hadn't.
...See More
Quotes 10 - 4 - 17 page 2
Q
Comments (0)
Anne Rice Quotes American - Novelist Born: October 4, 1941 Obsession led me to write. It's been that way with every book I've ever written. I become completely consumed by a theme, by characters, by a desire to meet a challenge. Anne Rice When I write something, every word of it is meant. I can't say it enough. Anne Rice Stephen King in many respects is a wonderful writer. He has made a contribution. People in the future will be able to pick up Stephen King's books and learn a lot about who we were by reading those books. Anne Rice Obviously, a writer can't know everything about what she writes. It's impossible. Anne Rice To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself. Anne Rice We're frightened of what makes us different. Anne Rice Writers, as they gain success, feel like outsiders because writers don't come together in real groups. Anne Rice The only pain in pleasure is the pleasure of the pain. Anne Rice People who cease to believe in God or goodness altogether still believe in the devil. I don't know why. No, I do indeed know why. Evil is always possible. And goodness is eternally difficult. Anne Rice I thought The Shining was just absolutely wonderful. Stephen King reaches all kinds of people. In the beginning he was just dismissed out of hand, which was terrible. Anne Rice First-person narrators is the way I know how to write a book with the greatest power and chance of artistic success. Anne Rice Evil is always possible. Goodness is a difficulty. Anne Rice I'm always looking, and I'm always asking questions. Anne Rice The world doesn't need any more mediocrity or hedged bets. Anne Rice I can't keep up with Stephen King's output. Anne Rice You reach deep down and bring up what feels absolutely authentic to you as you move along with the book, but you don't know everything about it. You can't. Anne Rice We have to become saints. We have to become like Christ. Anything less is simply not enough. Anne Rice Re-telling the Christian story is the essence of my vocation. That has been going on since the Evangelists in one form or another. Anne Rice I was obsessed with religious questions, the basics: Why are we here? Why is the world so beautiful? Anne Rice I read The Old Curiosity Shop before I began Blackwood Farm. I was amazed at the utter madness in that book. Anne Rice I loved words. I love to sing them and speak them and even now, I must admit, I have fallen into the joy of writing them. Anne Rice When you make his sandwiches, put a sexy or loving note in his lunch box. Anne Rice To really ask is to open the door to the whirlwind. The answer may annihilate the question and the questioner. Anne Rice You can look at the New York Times Bestseller List and you can be pretty sure that the writers on that list don't know each other very well. Anne Rice What I did was take the Jesus of the Gospels, the Son of God, the Son of the Virgin Mary, and sought to make Him utterly believable, a vital breathing character. Anne Rice We need to stop fighting Christian against Christian. I have no time for anything but trying to love other people. That is a full-time job. Anne Rice There may be writing groups where people meet but it's occasional. You really do it all at your own computer or your own typewriter by yourself. Anne Rice The whole theme of Interview with the Vampire was Louis's quest for meaning in a godless world. He searched to find the oldest existing immortal simply to ask, What is the meaning of what we are? Anne Rice The vampires have always been metaphors for me. They've always been vehicles through which I can express things I have felt very, very deeply. Anne Rice The thing should have plot and character, beginning, middle and end. Arouse pity and then have a catharsis. Those were the best principles I was ever taught. Anne Rice The most difficult novel I have had to write in terms of just getting it done was The Vampire Lestat. It took a year to write. Anne Rice That process by which you become a writer is a pretty lonely one. We don't have a group apprenticeship like a violinist might training for an orchestra. Anne Rice My own funeral, I'd like to be laid out in a coffin in my own house. I would like my coffin to be put in the double parlor, and I would like all the flowers to be white. Anne Rice Memnoch the Devil happen to be my favorite of all The Vampire Chronicles. Anne Rice It is tragic that many in America think of us - Christians - as being people who hate others. Anne Rice I'm usually working on my own mythology, my own realm of created characters. Stories in mythology inspire me, though I may not be conscious of it. Anne Rice I'm going to keep on dealing with the supernatural in a lot of ways. Anne Rice I'm fascinated by almost any mythology that I can get my hands on. Anne Rice I'm definitely more influenced by European writers than I am by American writers, there's no doubt about that. Anne Rice I wish we had more visible Christian and Catholic leaders who talked about love. Anne Rice I want to love all the children of God - Christian, Jew, Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist - everyone. I want to love gay Christians and straight Christians. Anne Rice I love New Orleans physically. I love the trees and the balmy air and the beautiful days. I have a beautiful house here. Anne Rice I gave up on the big screen. The Witching Hour was at Warner Bros. for 10 years and it just didn't work out. Anne Rice I feel like an outsider, and I always will feel like one. I've always felt that I wasn't a member of any particular group. Anne Rice I enjoy the Web site a lot and I like being able to talk to my readers. I've always had a very close relationship with them. Anne Rice I do want to go another way - to write something completely different. Anne Rice I do not read the ancient languages, but I am beginning to study Greek. Anne Rice I claim Dickens as a mentor. He's my teacher. He's one of my driving forces. Anne Rice I can't get very far away from Christianity, I can't get very far away from the angels and the saints. I work them in always, in some way. Anne Rice I broke with my religion in college. Anne Rice Dickens is a very underrated writer at the moment. Everyone in his time admired him but I think right now he's not spoken of enough. Anne Rice Invest in a feather duster - the possibilities are endless. Anne Rice I know nothing of God or the Devil. I have never seen a vision nor learned a secret that would damn or save my soul. Anne Rice Very few beings really seek knowledge in this world. Mortal or immortal, few really ASK. On the contrary, they try to wring from the unknown the answers they have already shaped in their own minds. Anne Rice Susan Sarandon Quotes American - Actress Born: October 4, 1946 To know that once you decide to look at life outside of the narrow limits of just your world and start to understand that you can make a difference in very simple ways - in volunteering and all the way up to bigger world problems. Susan Sarandon I'm tired of being labelled anti-American because I ask questions. Susan Sarandon Just because I haven't yet had any project surgery, I'm not going to knock it, because I think women have the right to do whatever they want to their bodies that make them feel good about themselves. Susan Sarandon It is a different world than when I was growing up, and you started to just kind of maintain at thirty-five and just hope you can hope it together. People are a lot more vital than I am and doing all kinds of things and leading really important movements. Susan Sarandon I think I'm an actor because I have very strong imagination and empathy. I never studied acting, but those two qualities are exactly the qualities that make for an activist. Susan Sarandon If you walk down the street and see someone in a box, you have a choice. That person is either the other and you're fearful of them, or that person is an extension of your family. And that makes you at home in that world and not fearful. So really it's very self-serving. Susan Sarandon When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you. Susan Sarandon Children reinvent your world for you. Susan Sarandon We stand a chance of getting a president who has probably killed more people before he gets into office than any president in the history of the United States. Susan Sarandon I look forward to being older, when what you look like becomes less and less an issue and what you are is the point. Susan Sarandon I think sometimes what happens is that all of this feeling out of control manifests itself in trying to control your body; whether it's an eating disorder or talking about getting your nose fixed, as if that's going to be the solution to all the pressure. Susan Sarandon I try to live my life every day in the present, and try not to turn a blind eye to injustice and need. Susan Sarandon I feel my family's needs are a priority. I'm not comfortable with the idea of serving the many and ignoring my family. Susan Sarandon Everyone has a responsibility towards this larger family of man, but especially if you're privileged, that increases your responsibility. Susan Sarandon When I tell people I'm a comedian they say, 'Oh, are you funny?' I say, 'No, it's not that kind of comedy.' Susan Sarandon Making love is like hitting a baseball. You just gotta relax and concentrate. Susan Sarandon It will be great when it's not such a big deal when a woman gets a good job. Susan Sarandon Before our kids start coming home from Iraq in body bags and women and children start dying in Baghdad, I need to know, what did Iraq do to us? Susan Sarandon I was told I had an overabundance of original sin. Susan Sarandon In the U.S., they just want to know who you're sleeping with. Susan Sarandon It's still not easy to find roles that offer more complex images of women. Susan Sarandon The only thing I can talk about is just forgiving yourself, because I do not have everything together. And so I tell people: No, you should see my house, it's a mess. Susan Sarandon The only time I've really been away from my kids to do work was doing Shall We Dance because they both were in camp and it was the first time in twenty years that I haven't been with my kids. Susan Sarandon Now, Tim has been really, really busy, and it's been my job now to kind of deal with everything. And trying to figure out how we balance that, logistically it's a nightmare. But these little jobs make it much easier. Susan Sarandon So I would hope they would develop some kind of habit that involves understanding that their life is so full they can afford to give in all kinds of ways to other people. I consider that to be baseline spirituality. Susan Sarandon I'm a native New Yorker. Everything to do with New York feels like my family. Susan Sarandon You guys ask really long questions. In the U.S., they just want to know who you're sleeping with. Susan Sarandon
...See More
Anyone have a recipe for true authentic Italian bread?
Q
Comments (26)
sushi, thanks for the link..in the late 70’s, many large bakeries closed, the comforting smell of baking bread contributed to smog... I now know The bread I knew as French Bread was French not Italian, even though I first experienced it at the home of Italians. So, maybe S.F. style French bread is American....maybe after 170 years?, not Italian. When does something become authentic? I remember focaccia bread, we called it “pizza bread”, sold in Italian Delis.
...See More
palimpsest
11 years ago
I have plenty of accessories that are totally useless, actually --but they are not really "accessories" with a capital A. I pick up a lot of things just because they intrigue me, and sometimes they go into one of my boxes of "found objects" and sometimes they go onto the bookshelves or tucked onto a table somewhere.

Among the more strange things I have are a plastic woman holding a plastic TV, a large bisque china doll leg, a coin purse in the shape of a cat's head, a tiny acorn cast in bronze, a hand written list of sins that some girl dropped on her way to confession. Some of these things are picked up off the sidewalk. I have no problem putting this stuff in an Imari bowl or one of my Cartier ashtrays or wherever for you to pick up and look at. I think it's authentically me to have some authentic junk. It would be awfully restrictive and stilted for me to have things "just so". And, this is why I think I find rooms that are "pat" or "just so" where everything is perfectly coordinated a bit Inauthentic for my tastes.
mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
hand written list of sins that some girl dropped on her way to confession

That may have been my "to do" list.
roarah
11 years ago
I do not think all decor needs to be useful. Purpose, to me, does not mean useful per se. an object of art or a souvenir are purposeful if they are meaningful. I was only trying to point out that to buy a piece that means little or nothing to you only to fill a blank wall is with out purpose. To find a piece, even at the christmastree shop, that makes you truly happy, has a authentic place in home decor.
sombreuil_mongrel
11 years ago
The more money available, the more freedom to choose authentic or inauthentic.
98% don't have that choice. Which is why this is a rather elitist topic at its core. A lot of people would aspire to have authentic masterpieces, Sherle Wagner, and Scalamandre, but have to settle for what they can cobble together for themselves out of found /inherited /castoff stuff. The ones who create something special from that palette are the ones I greatly admire.
Casey
luckygal
11 years ago
Authenticity to me has a 'realness' to it whether it's because of the natural materials something is made from or the meaning it has to me because of where I found it or who made it or gave it to me. It's very personal and authenticity to one person may not be A. to another. I don't think any of us can judge how "authentic" someone else's decor is because it is personal.

I no longer buy place holders, partly because I don't need them, but mostly because I only want things in my home that I feel I do not want to live without. Those things to me achieve an authenticity *to me* because I love them.

Edited to say that to me authenticity has nothing to do with cost. The curly willow twigs a friend gave me are more authentic to me than any twigs I may have paid money for.

This post was edited by luckygal on Thu, Jan 24, 13 at 12:32
patty_cakes
11 years ago
Decorator items are nothing more than that~that's why they're called home decor. Using things that aren't necessarily decorator items is where your own personality kicks in as it's your choice to use it as such, or just 'display' it.

I've loved Hello Kitty stuff, long before it made it's recent return on the scene. While Christmas shopping, I picked up a little 4 piece set of plastic figurines that sit on the cabinet in my great room, next to a larger figurine Mc D's was giving away years ago with their 'girl' happy meals. A stack of vintage books sits right next to my treasures.. Meaningless, yes, but there's still that 'authentic' little kid in me that likes plastic Hello Kitty stuff.
erinsean
11 years ago
This may be a little off the subject....but when I lived on a lake, I had peices of driftwood and ball floats for decoration. When we moved to Guatemala, those things looked bad so decorated with native things...woodcarvings, fabric, material, etc. Now I am back in the midwest and decorate with things that are native to this area....though admit I do have some native Guatmelan artifacts. So what I am trying to say is, I think person tends to decorate their home for the region they are living in and it looks very put together. If you try to decorate for another part of the country, it does not look right. This is JMHO.
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
Sombreuil, I think we mean things that are honestly what they are, rather than trying to be something else. I doubt that most of the folks here, whatever their financial resources or social status, are elitist by nature or intent.
palimpsest
11 years ago
Again, like any multifactorial concept, "authenticity" is only part of the equation. A room may be decorated in authentic whatever is is, appropriate to the region and the house, and still be decorated in poor taste. Likewise, I think some fairly impersonal rooms can be nice-looking, and if they are impersonal for a particular reason that makes sense, that's fine.
katrina_ellen
11 years ago
This is funny, but when I lived on the southeast coast of Texas, we were very young, and in our little house on the boat slip, we had a big fishermans net hanging from the ceiling that we put found crocodile heads ,teeth, shells, etc., whatever we found nearby. We did't live there long but it was a lot of fun. That felt authentic at the time. Back in the day...
I think authentic reflects your lifestyle and your beliefs. If friends come in and say it looks like you, I think that is authentic. I think a comfortable home is authentic because it reflects your lifestyle. I generally don't like generic mass produced items like you find in Ikea, but I have some things from there because it fit a need, or I still liked it even if it was inexpensive and mass-produced. I think authentic is developing your own style and not following trends.
bleigh
11 years ago
i don't like that list..."the stuff white people like." even though it's written to be funny, it's just not. i'm actually pretty sick and tired of this culture we're creating...that all white people are____ . i'm far from liberal and even the liberal jabs are painful...b/c they're meant to be flat out racist. i'm also sick that's it's so easy to portray our people so negatively and it's completely acceptable. this is especially true of southerners. the ignorance abounds when it comes to the south. my dh deals with it every day in his work...and all it comes from his west coast counterparts. just flat out amazing. the things we do to ourselves and the fact that we go belly up because it supposedly done in "humor." no one seems to realize that it's a complete attack on culture meant to break that culture down.

enough of that rant...sorry.

i do have something to say about decor. i don't understand specifically changing ones decor and style to fit a region. i never would have thought to change what i love to fit someone eles's idea of normal or acceptable. my house wouldn't be home if i sacrificed my style or things i love for the sake of fitting in. also wouldn't care much if the architecture of the region didn't offer what i'm accustomed to. i would still be true to what i like and want.
Miz_M
11 years ago
I just decorate with what I like to look at, what is comfortable, and things that bring me pleasure. That may mean an old Mexican saddle in our office (yes, we used to show Quarter Horses, but even if we hadn't, I'd still love Western tack), a vase from Pier 1 or World Market that has no real value, except I like it, my great-great grandparents' mantel clock, fossils we find nearby, and on and on.

Speaking of which, we found this ammonite yesterday near Ft Worth (Benbrook Lake).......and I'm going to display it somewhere once we clean it up. Blows my mind to find something 75 million years old. :-)
palimpsest
11 years ago
I don't think you have to necessarily go all Miami Vice if you move to Florida, but, for example, I would not do wool flannel drapery there, like I would in Pennsylvania.
bleigh
11 years ago
palimpsest, it would make complete sense to change the fabric material to suit a climate, but not necessarily change the prints and patterns. you also wouldn't want to use a heavy down comforter on the bed in fl, but rather slip something lighter weight inside your preferred duvet cover. some things are just sensible, but feeling the need to change out furnishings, colors, patterns, and collections for the sake of regional change does not register to me.
marcolo
11 years ago
I can't imagine traditional tartan upholstery or blankets in FL no matter how light the material. FL has different traditions, different light, a different atmosphere. Cozy is not something people crave when it's 88 and humid.
Vertise
11 years ago
I haven't read the whole thread yet but I don't get the idea that people decorate with things they don't actually like.

What's more important? Being authentic to a house or region or being authentic to yourself? When I think of authenticity, I think of being true to oneself. Decorating ones home is a personal expression of oneself (to those who are interested in their homes as more than comfortable shelter).

I do think it's good design for interiors to complement or relate to their exteriors in some way so it makes sense and isn't jarring.

I couldn't live in something that wasn't me, just for the sake of the house. But I would probably find something more suited for my own things and taste if I moved to a different region. That regional decor would have to grow on and in me gradually. Trends have a way of doing that too. Until you get sick of them because you've seen it too much.
bleigh
11 years ago
marcolo, so basically you're suggesting that i'm wrong or anyone else would be wrong to decorate in a way that means something to them? you're suggesting that individuality does not matter more than climate or region? if i had tartan upholstery in my current home why would i replace just because i moved somewhere else? obviously comfort is to be considered (figured that to be common sense)...but my point is that one does not have to sacrifice their personal taste and the things they love just to be fitting in with the local style (or stereotype).
patty_cakes
11 years ago
Miz M, I love that! Maybe i'm going to have to make a road trip from Austin to the lake in Ft. Worth.

And speaking of TX, and being the Lonestar state(and darn proud of it!) with many houses using them as a deor item on the outside as well as inside. It ain't my style, but I would consider the star *authentic* to TX,
pirula
11 years ago
I think what marcolo and palimpest are saying (and they'll correct me I'm sure) is that of course you can do whatever you like in your own home, but....

Heavy, dark tartans and flannels in Miami may be what you love and you should have it. But it's not "authentic" to Miami, (nor is it practical, but that's another story). It's no more authentic than a red tile roofed, spanish mediterranean villa would be here in Virginia.

Of course, it's authentic to you and your lifestyle, but that's different from being authentic to place. That's all....

Some people care about being authentic to place, some don't put as high a priority on it.

I've lived all over the world, and my things (which have grown over time) always seem to fit wherever I am. Upholstery changes, tastes change as I mature, but everything always seems to fit and most everything I have is authentic in the sense that it has story, or a history, or a connection to me. It's lovely, and eclectic (very).

In fact, I think I'll go post in the OCD thread about my OCD about not having anything in the house that isn't from a place I've actually been to. How's that for authentic OCD!
pirula
11 years ago
Miz M, that's fantastic. I never saw anything that cool when I lived in Dallas!
Miz_M
11 years ago
Thank you, Patty Cakes! We're going back today, my DD is home from college, and wants to hunt. :-)

I hear you about the stars. I have a couple of items with stars on them, but don't want any more of them.

I LOVE Austin, and the Fredericksburg area. My fiance proposed to me at the top of Enchanted Rock last year (we were both widowed, at the ages of 40 and 43, in 2009). We fell in love with the area, he's a rock climber from NY, and we want to move there. Hopefully, in the near future!

If you head this way, let me know! There are so many great fossil-finding areas around here.
Vertise
11 years ago
pirula, why can't you "authentically" appreciate something Asian that you've bought unless you've been there? I understand collecting things as memories from travels but not that you can't buy something Japanese just because you really like the styling, country, lifestyle -- because you haven't actually been to Japan.
Miz_M
11 years ago
Thanks, Pirula! (For some reason, your post wasn't showing for me before). :-)
bleigh
11 years ago
again, comfort and practicality should be considered part of the common sense i was referring to. not suggesting that one would or should use heavy drapery or fabrics in a hot climate, but if one prefers plaid (or other prints) and particular colors then one should confidently find a way to incorporate that in their home regardless of where it is. my dh and i have also lived in other countries and regions in the u.s. while enjoying the traditions and styles of those areas, i've always preferred my own traditions and style in my home. being authentic to myself and my heritage is way more important than being authentic to a place.
bleigh
11 years ago
i also don't understand not having things from other places unless you've been there. we're a very eclectic household, as is my parent's, with antiques from other countries that were purchased in our local area. can't imagine having to travel the world to find these items and then going to the expense to get them here. how sad to not happily purchase something, like the african stool i'm longing for, because i've not been there.
pirula
11 years ago
Yep. I have no explanation and you don't need to understand it, believe me. It is what it is. I have NO idea why!

It's not sad in the least. At least not to me. I have plenty of beautiful things from places I've visited.....I feel no loss whatsoever.

Oh! And I certainly didn't mean to suggest that it's not "authentic" because of that! no no no no no.
bleigh
11 years ago
it really is interesting to see how each person formulates being who they are. we all have things that others can not and will not understand. the loveliness of individuality :).
pirula
11 years ago
I agree! (and my friends enjoy giving me funny looks sometimes...)
Sueb20
11 years ago
mtnrdredux, you are really making me LOL today.

I know someone who has been to Paris once or twice, but not in the last 13 years. She decorates with lots and lots of Paris-themed objects and you'd think she visited every year. Meanwhile, because she has a big collection of Eiffel towers, I sort of feel like if I have them in my house, I'm copying her. And yet I have been to Paris twice in the last 8 years so I feel like I am more entitled to have Paris souvenirs floating around my house than she is! Anyway, I have limited myself to two small ones. Oh, plus a lamp base from Target (I mean "Tar-jay").

I have a hard time with homes that are full of stuff exclusively from stores like Home Goods. As some others have said, I'd rather have an empty shelf than one full of shiny new doodads from Home Goods. Yes, I have some HG stuff in my house, but it's mixed in with the flea market finds and the shells and rocks from real beaches that I've visited and the real books that I've actually read.
mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
Thanks, SueB!

.. that was one of my favorites and I don't think anyone got it because on the macbook i can't figure out how to do italics, denoting a quote. Or else they just didn't think it was funny.

PS How do you do them? I highlight the word, right flock, choose font and ital, but then it never works. I'm on Safari or Chrome and on Mac product.
melsouth
11 years ago
Our house is as authentic as we could afford for it to be; I call it an Homage to Authenticity.

Everybody I know has stuff that was their grandmother's or their great grandmother's, and they're happy to decorate with it.
They also fill in the gaps with their own creations, travel memorabilia, and T. J. Maxx.

This is the South; it is HOT.
I'd be a lunatic to use flannels and wools here.
It only gets cold for part of December and most of January and February.
By March, the air conditioning is back on, usually until November.

RE: Stuff White People Like (the website mentioned above)
If it weren't so poorly written and with such sloppy punctuation, it might be 1/100th as funny as this site:

Here is a link that might be useful: Catalog Living
mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
sorry for going OT, but if you haven't seen this site, is is authentically funny

Here is a link that might be useful: Vintage Authentic Weight Watchers Recipe Cards
bleigh
11 years ago
i live in central ga and had the air conditioner on most of last week because it was hot. have a wool throw and thick plush blankets to be used until spring...we use them plenty because it still gets chilly. people around here put flannel sheets on their beds too. spring, summer and fall those things are in storage... one more time, it's common sense. again, i don't think anyone said one should use the wrong fabrics for the climate....why is this continuing to be hammered? maybe i'm too sensitive and need to get to the wine bar quickly.

hoping all of you have a wonderful evening and enjoy your wool, flannel, cotton, voile...gauze...whatever is applicable and authentic!!
bleigh
11 years ago
mtnrdredux, that site is pretty funny...
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
In response to the comment that people don't decorate with things they don't like, I will tell you with utter confidence that some do!

In certain parts of the deeply traditional, family connected, class-conscious, Anglophilic commonwealth of Virginia, many women feel stuck in the life they were born into and/or have married into, are expected to follow the roles and traditions, and can't figure out how to escape them.

The reason I know this is that some of them are my friends, and a lot of them have been my clients. As we move into the process, I find out how much they hate their Sheraton sideboard or their chintz curtains or their Williamsburg color scheme or the pastel portraits of their children which their mothers had made for them.

A strong traditional culture is a godsend for people who are suited to it, as it opens every door and makes many decisions. For those it doesn't suit, it can be a prison. I believe that goes for any well-established and conservative way of life, rich or poor, WASPy or not. Many women of great character live independent lives in it, but many endure lives of quiet desperation.
pfmastin
11 years ago
Miz_M,
If you haven't already, you might enjoy reading Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. It's historical fiction based on the life of Mary Anning, a 19th century woman fossil hunter...ammonites were her favorites.. Your ammonite reminds me of it.
Miz_M
11 years ago
Thank you so much, pfmastin, will look for that, sounds very interesting! Going to Amazon now. :-)
marcolo
11 years ago
mtnrdredux, I have tears streaming down my face.
Vertise
11 years ago
Bronwynsmom, I was thinking along the lines of the trend buying masses, the more commercial markets, which I thought was what these discussions were questioning. Quality, new versus old, authenticity, motivation, I forget what else! When someone buys Home Goods or Target, I'm guessing they usually like what they've come home with. Even though some might be wishing something else was in the budget.

The people you're referring to are sadly not able to be authentic or true to themselves for other reasons.
lynxe
11 years ago
I just got back from dinner out. mtnr, I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to, uh, er, revisit my dinner all over the keyboard.
PRO
Diane Smith at Walter E. Smithe Furniture
11 years ago
Authentically funny mtnrdredux. Die, fish, die. lol!
mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
I'm so glad you guys liked it. The first time I saw it I was laughing so hard I could not speak to explain to my husband what it was. I could only point.
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
mtnrdredux, I am howling!
That is too fabulous.
I'm sending it to everybody.

Thank you for a much needed belly laugh!
mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
I just wish I'd written it!

Do be sure to scroll through. I love the Polynesian one but the Mexican Shrimp Orange Salad is a scream too...
Vertise
11 years ago
Very funny stuff! Warning, do not snort yogurt. It stings!
peegee
11 years ago
OMG mtndredux -a riot! Thanks!
User
11 years ago
Too bad, my life is not interesting enough to automatically curate itself into an Anthropologie store.

Speaking of, Sundance Channel has a series called Man Shops Globe--he's a buyer for Anthropologie

ABOUT THE SERIES
Claiming he has the "greatest job in the world," Keith Johnson invites viewers along on an international treasure hunt on the Sundance Channel original series, MAN SHOPS GLOBE. In out-of-the-way antique shops, private dealerships and craft stalls, Johnson looks for one-of-a-kind home furnishings and accessories.

In each half-hour program, Keith travels to a new country in search of fantastic and unusual decorative objects, furniture, and textiles. He also seeks out the world's best artists and crafts people. MAN SHOPS GLOBE follows Johnson, who travels six months of the year, to ends-of-the-earth excursions, from flea markets in Paris to remote villages in India and obscure art studios in Turkey.

Here is a link that might be useful: Man Shops Globe
patty_cakes
11 years ago
Jim, that sounds like a program that could be right up my alley! Unfortunately, I don't get the Sundance Channel, but maybe it's available as an app on my ipad. Thanks for the heads up.

Ps, when are you going to share some pics? Like Judith, I always enjoy seeing what you've done, also ;o)

What is Authenticity?

Comments (67)

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US