Like playing too many roles

Last fall, I devoted a column to trying to answer a reader’s question: are today’s young people lacking in modesty? I thought this “letter to the reader” would be an isolated exercise, a simple nod to the reflections that I sometimes discover with joy in my email box… I was wrong.

After the publication of this column, I received so many new questions about young people that it became obvious: I should now take the time to answer the questions of the readership of The Press, at least a few times a year… For several years. (See how I subtly place pawns to renew my contract?)

Among the e-mails that caught my attention, that of a named Mélanie, about authenticity. I’ll summarize the main points: if young people are so comfortable with transparency, they will favor politicians who seem authentic to them, right? If so, will we see a transformation of politics? Are we ready to live with so much transparency?

I tend to leave politics to Paul Journet, but this email hid social issues that I wanted to delve into, on the eve of the by-election in Marie-Victorin. Why do we seek so much authenticity today? And is the integrity of a person – politician or not – verified? As often, I went to seek answers from women more knowledgeable than me…

The Age of Consistency

“When Al Gore and George W. Bush clashed [pour la présidence américaine], in 2000, we conducted a survey whose question was: which of the two would you prefer to have a beer with? Bush won. For strategists, this is a pivotal moment! We now had to make politicians more approachable…”

Communications strategist Martine St-Victor believes authenticity has always been important to voters; however, she considers that the “beer test” embodies a considerable shift in our relationship with elected officials. They have since been presented to us as particularly accessible people… People like us (even if they are sometimes ex-billionaires).

“The more we advance in time, the more platforms there are that promote photography and video, the more we feel like we know politicians,” she explains to me. Ultimately, it’s not authenticity that’s important, it’s our perception of authenticity. Because deep down, what does that mean, be true ? »

The general manager of Edelman’s Montreal office puts her finger on the big question. Who can say true ?

“In terms of psychology, authenticity is the consistency between what we do, what we say and what we are,” replies the essayist Rachida Azdouz. “It’s a commitment we make to ourselves: we have to be faithful to our values ​​and our principles. »

That is clear. (Not easy, but clear.)

According to the psychologist specializing in intercultural relations, it is fair to believe that authenticity is particularly important these days. For any generation. And not only in politics! As proof, she reminds me that when you buy a dozen eggs, you can sometimes see the photo of the poultry producer to whom you owe them, on the box (!). We want to know the origin of what we eat, we look for ethical products, we want to “live with the locals” when we travel…

Okay, but where does this quest for authenticity come from?

From what Rachida Azdouz describes as “a weariness of not being oneself”.

“We play roles at work and in our social life. No matter how authentic we want to be, there are things we keep to ourselves because we seek to protect ourselves. To opt for authenticity is to take the risk of being vulnerable or judged… However, people are increasingly taking the risk of being themselves, since it is less than that inherent in playing several roles. »

We try to calm this impression that we sometimes have of being fragmented. To have more than one personality, even a collection of masks. To lie to yourself.

And we transpose this quest for authenticity to those who hold power… Whether they are politicians or entrepreneurs, Martine St-Victor points out to me.

“At Apple, we went from Steve Jobs – who was brilliant, but out of touch with his emotions – to Tim Cook, who is very emotional. Microsoft today is led by Satya Nadella, who talks a lot about empathy. Employees and consumers want CEOs to react, to take a stand, to express how they feel…”

Still, we can talk about emotions without really feeling them! So how do you know if a person is real or not?

Well, that’s impossible, replies Rachida Azdouz, before going to one of those comparisons that make me love him so much…

“In the field of the arts, there are experts dedicated to certifying the authenticity of works. Counterfeiting specialists base themselves on very concrete evaluation criteria, but case law nevertheless recognizes the notion of “serious doubts” and “errors about certainty”. If the law itself recognizes that one is never certain of the authenticity of a work… imagine the authenticity of a person! »

Pitfalls to avoid

Both an intimate quest and a source of power games, authenticity is a value that is difficult to define. We can therefore understand why Mélanie wonders if we are ready to live with all this transparency, in her email…

Martine St-Victor also has some fears: “It worries me, because the perception of authenticity must not eclipse the content. Our role as voters is to see beyond the image, even if it is important. The image captivates us, but it is the substance that must hook us. »

Rachida Azdouz, for her part, detects the good and the less good in our daily thirst for truth: “The good news is that we are collectively in search of a life where we would wear only one mask, one mask which would be the synthesis of all our roles. The bad news is that authenticity can fall into the trap that lurks in all fashion: turning into an industry. »

Imagine the success of guides teaching us how to become authentic in three steps!

“Authenticity could be marketed, whereas, by definition, it is at the bottom of oneself that one will find it, concludes Rachida. It is in our inner silence that we can discover our voice. »

That, I hope, answers some of your questions.

Looking forward to reading you.

(And to conduct a new survey of people smarter than me, on your behalf.)