Authenticity and the Critical Linguistic Community of Charles Taylor

Are we living in individualistic societies where authenticity & self-realization have become supreme values? Is it all we can dream about to realize ourselves? In this article, I examine the modern roots of authenticity & argue with the Canadian communitarian Charles Taylor that there exist ontological limits to individualism & the cult of the self. Against individualistic liberalists, Taylor argues that the modern self unfolds in a preexisting moral community, but, against the most conservative communitarians, Taylor insists on authenticity & individualism as part of modern life. Modern authentic individuals do not just seek egocentric pleasure, but try to create a good life in dialogue with others. This dialogue unfolds in the "moral space" of modernity, which is not a homogeneous "community of values," but rather an open space in which individualistic values enter into conflict with values such as human rights & respect for the other. 15 References. Adapted from the source document.