Back in the day indeed. I see that in the days before Facebook existed. It seems as though social media has removed that aspect of positive regard for others. Authenticity is rarer on regular social media platforms, I find, and even in person, sometimes it's tough to find. People engage in conversations in which they don't want to be engaging from fear of triggering someone, being called offensive, or from the unknown whether or not their views will be ridiculed. When someone risks being authentic, it can be very gratifying. I can't judge though, I myself have fallen into the trap of not engaging in authentic conversation in person from those very same fears. What weird is that it's easier with strangers than with people close to me. I care what my family thinks too much and I don't want to lose, I don't even know what. Whereas a stranger, I can't lose anything or care about them if they don't care for what I'm sharing. I can only gain with strangers, gain a new friend, a new confidant, gain a cherished moment, and perhaps they can gain too. And then we can gain trust and caring, thus friendship. I'm trying to make a conscious effort with estranged family members to be more authentic. Close family, no problem. We're close! Funny we can easily fall into those traps ourselves. As long as we never stop being authentic with ourselves, I think, then we can always know consciously whether or not we are being authentic with others in certain given situations.