Interdependence and What It Means

In my previous blog, I used the term “interdependence”. What is interdependence? Interdependence is one of four ways we rely and communicate with others. Before I completely define interdependence, it will be easier to understand once the other three ways are explained.

The first is what society wants everybody to strive for, independence. Independence is simply defined as relying on oneself completely. The second is the complete opposite, dependence. Dependence is when one completely relies on another. The third is co-dependence, an unequal dependence between multiple people. I believe our society has evolved into a co-dependent society. Many people rely too much on others for support and help and only give back however much they see fit. This gives those people an excuse to judge others and classify them. I am not talking about minority groups; I am talking about the majority groups. Taking the example from my previous blog, doctors and insurance agents make up a portion of the majority group, part of the “upper-class”. If a patient goes to a doctor, but the doctor does not accept the patient’s type of healthcare, how is this fair? Again, isn’t it the doctor’s duty to see that the patient is in good health? The doctor is classifying patients by ruling a majority of them out or asking for monetary payment in return. The doctor is relying too much on support from insurance companies; therefore, decreasing the number of patients instead of doing his or her duty by making sure all patients are in good health. In an interdependent society, doctors would make sure that all patients are in good health.

Interdependence is defined as an equal dependence between multiple people. As I stated in my previous blog, in an interdependent society, everyone collaborates peacefully using their unique gift with the objective to maintain equal amount of survival for everyone. Doctors know the value of a life, and no matter of the type of healthcare, would treat each patient, as it is his or her duty. The patient would then return the favor by giving a type of need, as it is essential for life, to make things equal.

To amount of what is given should not play a role or even come into question, because the outcome will always be survival, and that is the main goal in an interdependent society.

RJ