Be it food, music, people, news or product:  authenticity is making a comeback.My wife and I recently took our boys out to dinner in the North End of Boston. If you are unfamiliar, this historically has been known as the Italian section of town.  While it can be a bit touristy, it's where you still can find some interesting, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and some great Italian cuisine.What struck me when we arrived was that, sadly, this may have been the first truly authentic Italian restaurant that our 3 boys had visited with us.  I guess with 4 kids ages 18 to 6, you tend to go plain vanilla when it comes to dinner options to simply minimize the drama come order time.  That means a steady rotation of diners, local pizza places, around the corner Chinese take-out, and just about anywhere that offers chicken fingers or other meats that can be covered in ketchup.  I suppose we generally fall into this pattern because it is easier, cheaper, and convenient. And sometimes we don't care about quality or ambiance -- we just want the damn kids to get fed and to shut them up.Aren't we doing this with everything these days? Instant gratification seems to have taken a front seat to quality in just about all facets of our lives.  We keep ordering that bland chicken lo mein because we have an app that facilitates take out from the local restaurant.  We stream over-produced, computer enhanced music from the internet or (gasp) download digital copies of it from iTunes so that we can infinitely shuffle to whatever we want on the go.  We look at perfectly photoshopped pictures of celebrities online, watch CGI enhanced movies on our digitally enhanced high def TVs, and read AND share news without understanding the details or verifying the source in order to quickly get more followers and likes.  Who cares, right? The good old days are past.  We need to radically accept that speed and convenience have permanently taken the place over quality and authenticity.Nope.  Authenticity is making a comeback. Look around: food trucks are popping up all over the place. People are buying vinyl records once again. Craft beer’s economic contribution to the United States economy has grown by more than 20% in two years -- at the expense of mass produced beers.  Once photoshopped celebrities are now insisting on having pictures taken of them without makeup or enhancements. People are demanding, and voting for, those candidates that they feel are "real" and "tell it like it is" over those they perceive to be fake and insincere -- regardless of qualification.  There's a backlash on "#fakenews".   Hell, even Jackie Chan is back to doing his own stunts. What's driving this counter intuitive return to valuing authenticity? Millennials are a huge part it (google "Millennials authenticity" and you will see).  While they are easily the most technologically savvy generation we have ever produced, they also have an inherent ability to recognize the difference between what is real and what is fake -- and can summarily dismiss the contrived in favor of the genuine, particularly when it comes to branding, tastes, and their interpersonal relationships. But I also think we are all collectively growing weary of bullshit.  While our busy lives and shorter attention spans crave convenience and simplicity, we will still find time to be patient with all of the rough edges, imperfections and nuances that come along with the genuine article when it truly matters.  It's why kids' artwork posted in office cubes always brings a smile to your face.  It's why we still get a thrill driving a stick shift convertible on a winding, hilly road. It's why catching a live music performance in a small bar can blow away anything on your Spotify playlist. It's why we always find time for those people in our lives who aren't afraid to show their vulnerability. And it's why we will make our family walk a few extra blocks to experience the best seafood fra diavolo in the North End.Enjoy the rest of this issue, have a great first weekend in October, and remember to stay authentic.XOXODave