Dougie Yourston

Regaining our authenticity and humanity Dougie Yourston

The central theme of the book is to present a thought provoking narrative as to the essence of authenticity, and how in the 21st century, we need to regain our understanding of authenticity as a means to become true to ourselves and humanity. The book focuses on authenticity through reviewing and providing a contemporary commentary of a number influential 19th and 20th century philosophers, from Kierkegaard through to Taylor and Langergan. The book also presents the challenges faced in the 21st century which includes how we will our lives on this biosphere, the influence of technology and finally our legacy as viewed through an authentic lens.

The book commences with a comprehensive review of authenticity by returning back to key philosophers Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jung, Camus, Sartre, Taylor, Langergan, Trilling and Birch. Early in the book to provide context and a more informal narrative, with the author's late Uncle introduced and then interlaced throughout the text. The book then moves on to present an argument and contention that we need to regain our understanding of authenticity in terms of how we live our lives in the 21st century. Before looking at our legacy and how authenticity needs to be regained.

While the book is 'dense' in terms of the concepts associated with authenticity, the aim is to be thought provoking. To assist the reader to contextual and understand the concepts, there is a personal narrative which flows throughout the book, to contextualise authenticity and its complexities.