In today’s world, people are free to be who they want while being under pressure to conform to various social roles. One result is a pervasive worry that some or all aspects of our lives are lived inauthentically, as conveyed in expressions like “being just a number” or “a cog in a machine.” But what does it really mean to live authentically? To what extent is it even possible? This discussion will examine how the insights of important philosophers on these issues can inform our own approach to life.