Touching on Independence

In light of the recent holiday, let’s talk about what independence means.   Let’s stand up for what we stand for.  Wait. Forget standing up… Let’s stand on our own without being propped up. Whether politically or personally, independence is a state of self-government.  Let’s stretch that definition: Independence is self-reliance.  As a nation, are we really independent? And is that really a stretch of the definition? I think not on both accounts. 

To reach a state of independence, an entity must plant a stake and stand for something. You can become a recluse and pioneer your own way, standing only for the notion that you need nothing society has to offer. Or, as a populace, we can create alliances and separate from our enemies, becoming more independent. And so, political independence comes only through interdependence. We are self-governing but not self-reliant.

The barter system has not been abandoned; our government trades principles and beliefs for power and prestige.  Alliances are made and then broken like childhood promises. Men stare each other in the eye and feign genuine handshakes.  We divvy up pieces of our souls and give them to the people with the most enticing smiles. Morals fall by the wayside. Internal conflict prevails and boundary wars ensue. Truth: In standing for something, you must also stand against something else.  You must denounce something.

Group independence sounds like a dark, black hole.  It must be navigated with the skills of a seamstress; martyrs must send its messages. Independence, with its capacity for change, can be usurped only by what its created conflict destroys. Independence can be like a rogue wave. It crashes down fiercely, wildly, and without restraint. It can also be soft and unspoken, even mumbled without confidence, for it is not necessarily independence that bucks or stands broadly. In a perceived indifference, the silent independent confirms to all that he needs no other – this is true independence. 

The belief system of the silent independent is self-reliance, and no other entity needs to understand his rationale, nor can they take it away from him. A remarkable force, our nation’s independence is made possible by a coalition of people.  Realizing that, let’s again stand for ourselves. Let’s stand for each other. Let’s stand as one. Celebrate this beautiful interdependence with self, society, and soul.