I would like to see a deep dive into the "authenticity" status game. Here are a few thoughts:

1. It's a success-virtue game. It actually combines two virtues - honesty and courage. The success part of it depends on a person not just arbitrarily going against the status quo, but doing so in a way that is superior to the masses.

2. It comes with an implied story. The story goes something like this: Humans are deeply wired for social conformity, but this is maladaptive in the modern world. People who rise above the natural impulse to conform have the potential to be more successful than conformists, and the honesty and bravery required to attempt it are commendable.

3. It is a counter-status game. There are always mainstream status games. In the United States things like Christianity, climbing the corporate ladder, sports and physical fitness (and more recently wokeness) are mainstream status games, while beliefs and subcultures that oppose these things are counter-status games. "Authenticity" is the latter.

Unless I missed it in the archive, there has not been an Everything is Bullshit posted titled "authenticity is bullshit". It's long overdue.