Independence or Interdependence?

Have you noticed that the world seems to have gone a little overboard in terms of independence?  I was shocked one day to sit in a restaurant and overhear a rather loud discussion among a group of older adults.  I couldn’t believe these people were saying that everything they had accomplished in life they did on their own, no one ever helped them.  Really?  Where were their parents, teachers, employers, friends?

No one can survive totally on their own, without others.  Life in this world is not always easy.  We need each other.

Now I’m not talking about giving control of our minds or lives over to another person.  I’m talking about interdependence.  I like the definition from Wikipedia which defines interdependence as “mutual reliance between two or more groups.”  The key word here is “mutual.”  We’re not talking about one person or group controlling others.  What we are talking about is people looking out for each other, caring and working together for the common good.

I believe an extreme belief in independence has been a contributing factor to the division and turmoil in much of the world today.  We don’t have to agree with those around us to see that the world might be a better place if we could learn to work together.  Will it be easy?  No.  Will it be worth  it? Absolutely!