Meanings and Musings... on Independence

What does it mean to be independent? America's "Independence Day" has recently passed this year. Why celebrate such a thing as "Independence", unless its opposite, that is, dependence, is a negative thing?

Well I don't think this is the case at all, in typical situations. Okay, I'm just as glad as any American that we got our independence from Britain. That was the kind of independence that allowed us to grow and develop as a nation on our own. But I also think dependence doesn't have to be a bad thing, in fact, it's part of what makes us human. We can't exist without some dependence, on someone. Dependence can definitely be a bad thing if it's negatively affecting life, as dependence on substances (such as drugs and alcohol) does.

I am hesitant to open up such a controversial topic in one of my early blog posts, but thinking about independence and dependence and thinking about how it affects our world brings up a topic people feel strongly about: feminism.

Feminism is a concept and label that tells females that it's not acceptable to be dependent on males, and it's much better to be a "strong, independent woman". I think here the word "strong" has been mischaracterized. As in, it's "strong" to be forceful and self-sufficient and not need anyone else. But in reality, "strong" also means that you are confident enough in yourself that you can put your trust into someone else, and depend on them. This applies to males and females alike.

The "traditional" (non-feminist) view may outline this as follows: the man depends on the woman to cook and clean, and the woman depends on the man for an income, to provide shelter, and protection. Since women are able to have jobs these days this view has changed a bit, but the take home point is the same: relationships (and friendships) are a team effort, and both sides have to be both independent and dependent in their own responsibilities. Finding the right balance between the two and the delegation of these responsibilities will differ depending on one's individual views, but nevertheless, there must be a balance for successful social interactions. Whether they call themselves a feminist or not. Everything isn't so black and white - in real life, it seldom is.