A plea for authenticity

I have always been fascinated by the word "authentic". Oxford dictionary has the definition of "genuine, known to be true". So what does that mean--in real life?

One who does not pretend
One who is who he says he is
One who is not afraid to be who he is
No mask
No guard
The one and original

But how many people are like this now? In this day and age, IMAGE is everything. My dad taught us to "package" myself well before I was a teenager. Any interview book will tell you NOT to be too honest about your past failures and weakness. Everything is to be said "with a twist". We are all so afraid of showing who we really are, our desires, our very self. So we create an image of what we want others to see in us.

Precisely because I'm the same way myself, I admire those who truly don't care but what their image is, and who have no problem displaying their real selves. Some will call that not very smart - but at least that's geniune. And as a friend says, it takes guts. (well, either that or they just may not realize or notice others' reaction to their displaying a true self)

But here also lies my problem. I discover that even tho I appreciate that, I also get affected by what others say about the geniune person; inevitably I'll start telling that person to change and not be too honest, that s/he should watch what s/he says because it might hurt others, etc. etc, that s/he should find a way to better present himself/herself?? What happens to my appreciation for authenticity???

Funny, I was going to blog about James' plea for Christian authenticity by our actions ("Faith without action is dead"), and yet end up writing on a completely different topic.....