One way to look at authenticity is to examine what it is not.
In any sort of currency there is a potential for counterfeit. Something that looks like the real deal, but isn’t.
If you get a huge flood of counterfeit, then, society has two choices. First is to accept the counterfeit as indistinguishable and therefore equal to the authentic, so that it becomes immaterial. The second reaction is to become suspicious of all currency, meaning that not only do you not trust counterfeits but you also become wary of the authentic.
Counterfeits are wolves in sheepskins. Either way you react, they damage the authentic.
There are counterfeits in terms of more things than monetary systems.
Think about counterfeit love. (love on the internet)
Think about counterfeit community. (community on the internet)
I’m not indicting the internet on purpose. The results speak for themselves. The internet has some great means of sharing love and building community. More often than not, it’s used for counterfeit expressions.
Think about how counterfeit churches, false prophets, and other theological misrepresentations damage the authentic expression of a loving community. Jesus knew his own words would be twisted.
You have to be a judicious reader. You have to consume information intelligently. You have to look for underlying principles: are they real?
In today’s world there are more counterfeits than authentic connections. Scams-a-million.
How are you finding real gold? Where’s the silver you’re after? Is it real?
Adam G. Fleming 