“As the all-important question of truth and facts continues to dominate current affairs, it may come as no surprise to learn that Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is “authentic.”

The online dictionary says there has been a high volume of searches for the word’s definition for several years, but 2023 saw a ‘substantial increase,’ thanks to ‘stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.’”

CNN

In an age of artifice and alternative facts it’s no wonder that that there’s a high volume of searches for the word “authentic.”

In a TV landscape where reality shows are scripted and rehearsed and the very antithesis of reality, viewers are longing and thirsting for authenticity.

In a political realm where pathological liars like Donald Trump and cognitively impaired fabricators like Joe Biden rise to the top, voters are desperate for politicians who are grounded in reality.

In a media domain where, real news is disparaged as fake news, and conservative TV news networks are saturated with fake news, consumers of news and information are cravings for facts, just the facts.

In a technological age where AI is everywhere, it’s almost impossible to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Is a video of a politician captured in a compromising position real or a deepfake? Is an essay written by a student a product of his own intelligence and imagination or a product of AI? Is your favorite pop star’s album authentic or has it been enhanced by AI?

The realist in me realizes that authenticity will soon become a thing of the past, and the future will be as fake as John Travolta’s toupee.