Shootin' it Straight - Real Deep

Authenticity is often spoken about, touted, and falsely laid claim to. Politicians, those seeking office and those opposing them, play their cards to be seen as the “real deal.” To be known as a fraud is the equivalent of a wooden stake through the heart. Restaurants, motels, and even entire cities allocate hefty budgets to being seen as original. Social media pushes individuals to cultivate a persona of authenticity as they assemble a character like a plush animal, piece by piece. While any of those listed above have the free will to possess authenticity, few do. Very few.

Authenticity is built, cultivated, and bred. It isn’t there because one says so. It isn’t bought and hung on a wall. From the local level on up, politicians are often fraudulent in the images they cultivate. They pose as patriots while valuing attention above all else. Restaurants hire marketing specialists to purchase online antiques to blend with Amazon-patina walls, achieving a false sense of character. Vacation getaways sell themselves as “original” when the experience is carefully crafted around a hollow selling point. Dudes on Instagram with children holding driver’s licenses set up cameras to capture themselves lip-syncing in Ariats. Authenticity is exceedingly rare.

Walk down the dimly lit sidewalk and stroll into Columbia Steakhouse on Limestone. From the weathered paneling to the exposed ancient wiring clinging to the walls, it reeks of real. Sit in the pew of that run-down church up the holler with a dozen cars in the parking lot. It will sink in. Go sit with the couple who scratched out a living for fifty years down  Hwy 89 on a hard scrabble farm. Somewhere between the unpretentious cast iron and his Beechnut, you’ll feel the difference. Listen to what the holler says up in Hooten. Hunt with the guy who has no idea what any modern camo pattern is as he packs in his weathered Winchester 37. Spend a few bucks to catch a show at the Bell Theater. Swing by for some blues at Smokin’ Howard’s in Winchester. Authenticity isn’t concerned with followers or content. Character may not be dressed in a suit. Real may be less shiny than expected.

Authenticity isn’t always pretty. It isn’t anything that can be reviewed or documented on Google, Yelp, Yahoo, or anywhere else. For all my futile attempts to describe it, I’ll fall short. You’ll know it when it happens. It’s a feeling. It’s history seeping from the walls, lines etched into faces, and sounds you hear with your soul. Everyone wants it so badly they’ll fake it in almost any way imaginable. Frauds will always fray. You hear all flavors of sayings and quotes in today’s world of temporary attention spans. I’d implore everyone to be real above all else. I value authenticity over niceties, caring, and friendliness. I’d rather deal with a wolf that wears the crown proudly than a cuddly lamb uncomfortable in its own skin. Be real above all.