Over the past few days, there has been much controversy regarding the authenticity of the authors James Frey and JT Leroy, as it seems that one may be trading in literary lies (the former), while the other has been a figment of someone’s imagination entirely.

What does that say about modernity and the way we traffic in information? Should I feel duped? Should I feel shame that these individuals are capitalizing on people’s emotions in order to make money? I liked what Susie Bright writes in her journal here, regarding recent events, but can only hope that this (very public) betrayal will not cease the belief that her heart was in the right place all along. She was acting for the common good, which is highly commendable to say the least.

I don’t feel either, although I will say that it does make the market of those of us who talk about our lives look a little bit shiftier. Given the gift (or the curse depending) of the internet, there is no way that I or anyone else can prove that my words or more authentic than anyone else’s.

The beauty of this endless space we call cyberspace is that not only does it allow for connections to be made, but it also allows us to realize that we are not alone in our thoughts, experiences, beliefs- even though we may think we are. As it makes geography obsolete and brings light into the backwaters of the world that were formally isolated, it also widens us to the breadth of being human.

Now no matter what time it is, in an instant I can find stories that elucidate joy or hope or sorrow or beauty from like-minded individuals who deal in making the world a better place by focusing on what can happen instead of what has already happened. As theories and scandals regenerate and fuel the literary fires of authenticity, I choose to remind myself of the real that is constantly put in front of me.

Because while the stories of Frey and Leroy remind us that trading in lies can be profitable, what truly is the gain when we hurt the hearts of those that believed in us? Despite all the negativity, I am heartened by the fact that these authors (for awhile) reminded their readers that living honestly and strongly and with hope is nothing to be scoffed at, and something that we should all strive for everyday.