Independence vs Conditional Independence: A Modern Misconception
Generation Z, or as we call ourselves, "Zoomers", think it's "cool" to be independent. We like to brag about how "independent" we are. We like to have our own cars, our own apartments, and pay for our own expenses, because each of these things give us the sense of control over our destinies. But what does being independent really mean? We often miscontrue the definition of independence to reflect our personal goals and ideals. My aim is to correct that misconception. I will talk about the true definition of independence and how to become truly independent, not conditionally independent.
First, I need to address this common misconception. My peers tend to describe their own independence using phrases such as "I pay my own rent", or "I make my own decisions", or even "I pay for my own purchases". But I argue that these do not represent independence in its fullest capacity. Specifically, these claims are actions that every fully functioning member of society should be able to accomplish. Paying rent is something everyone does. Everyone makes their own decisions. Everyone pays for their own purchases. The generation I am part of holds high the notion that if they are able to complete basic skills that a functioning member of society can complete, then they are independent - and this is plainly false. Being a member of society does not make you independent. This is one of the many reasons I am disappointed in the generation I live in - we expect people to congratulate us for being normal members of society. We seek approval and praise for completing even the most basic life tasks. While these things are admirable steps taken toward total independence, they do not equal independence, and we certainly should not expect praise for these tasks.
I think comedian and Youtuber Gus Johnson sums my opinions perfectly in these videos:
This begs the question what "independence" truly means, and what "conditional independence" implies. Independence is, in its simplest definition, the absence of dependence. In essence, an independent person is someone that does not depend on any facility, service, or tooling. It means going above and beyond the traditional role of a member in society, and it requires being able to adapt to new unforeseen situations and apply oneself accordingly.
So why is it that most people are not independent, and how can that be changed? How can I become more independent?
Most people are not independent, but rather, conditionally independent, because they rely on certain facilities, services, or tools, to accomplish everyday tasks. I believe this can be best illustrated with examples.
If you happen to be away from your home and your phone dies, would you be able to return home?
Our society has a crippling reliance on phone calls and taxiing services such as Uber or Lyft.
If your computer stopped working, would you still be able to complete your schoolwork?
We tend to think that if our computer stops working, we need to ask our professor to extend the due date and make an exception for us without even viewing all alternatives.
If you were fired from your job, would you still be able to earn income?
I think this example hits harder than most, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. We rely all too heavily on a single source of income and place all our trust in "the system".
I admit that at this point, it would be reasonable to question the logic of my examples.
Of course I will always have my phone charged.
My laptop is functioning fine and I don't see it breaking anytime soon.
Getting fired from my job is a scenario that is virtually improbable.
But I am not attempting to argue that these examples are scenarios you will face, or that you need to prepare for the fall of modern society. I am simply defining what independence truly means. Independence does not rely on probability. Regardless of how improbable a scenario seems, the fact that it would disrupt your lifestyle is a dependence. And this is exactly the definition of being conditionally independent - being able to effortlessly adapt to some scenarios, but not all. Most people in society are conditionally independent, myself included. But our goal should be to achieve total independence, because only in total independence is our productivity uninhibited and our desires unhindered.
For clarification, there is only a certain degree of independence each person can realistically achieve. For example, one cannot be independent of food because nutritional consumption defines the basic requirements for life. As with each person, these requirements will vary slightly - a person who is non-developmentally able may have more requirements for life than a person who is developmentally able.
Consider this analogy regarding public transit: why do we use public transit? Because it is more convenient than driving, biking, or walking. And what happens if public transit were to shut down? If the bus system were to stop working, or if the subway was under maintenance, we would apply ourselves and look for alternate means of transit, e.g. Lyft, Uber, driving, biking, and of course, walking as a last resort. But no one should ever use public transit because they rely on transit. If public transit breaks down, you won't neglect to travel to work, or travel to the grocery store - rather, it is a convenience.
However, in many cases, we have forgotten how to function without these services, or in simpler terms, we have forgotten how to be independent of these services.
Take the current COVID-19 pandemic as an example. As restaurants, bars, and public services began closing down, many people broke as members of society. How am I supposed to cut my hair now? I have to start making my own food? Everyone should be able to adapt to situations such as these. Personally, I was largely unaffected by this pandemic - in fact, it actually benefited me by giving me more time to focus on my hobbies and personal interests. I had learned to cut my own hair previously, and cutting my hair during a pandemic was no different. I had already been preparing my own meals for a year beforehand, and I am completely independent of alcoholic products.
This example illustrates one of the many benefits of striving for total independence - conveniences are appreciated more if you understand the time and resources you save yourself. When I order food or eat at a restaurant, I truly appreciate the time, effort, and resources I save myself by letting others prepare food for me. Total independence leads to a greater appreciation of life conveniences we often neglect to highlight.
Not only does total independence heighten appreciation, it also increases productivity. When the services we depend on fail, we tend to break down. How could something like this happen? What do I do? This is the mindset independence strives to remove. When I first started working at my new job earlier this year, I completely neglected to remember road directions to my workplace. The second night I worked, my phone died. I didn't remember the route I drove to work, so I spent nearly an hour driving aimlessly and asking gas stations for directions. That night, I learned that I have a crippling dependence on GPS navigation. If I had learned to become independent of GPS (say, learning the routes beforehand), I could have saved myself an hour of time and a lot of stress. When we strive towards true independence, we save ourselves time, stress, and, in some cases, money.
How can we strive towards independence? Total independence does not have a concrete goal. There are no "steps" we can follow to become independent (which, I digress, we are all too reliant on "step by step" "easy" procedures - but that is a slightly different conversation). But striving towards independence means recognizing your dependencies and learning to removing them. Learn to cut your own hair. Learn to prepare your own meals. Try to not use your phone for an entire day. By slowly removing your dependencies, you begin to grow closer and closer to independence - all the while benefiting from every step of progress.
Before you claim to be independent, consider the implication of independence. In most cases, it would be more accurate to state that you strive to be more independent.
To all my peers who claim to be truly independent, I pose these questions:
Are you be able to complete daily tasks without a car?
Would you be able to completely cut yourself off from your parents financially?
Would you be able to move to a different state? A different country?
Could you survive an entire semester without your phone? An entire year?
In light of these questions, I urge everyone to strive towards independence. Independence is something that cannot be taken away and will always provide benefit. While it is nearly impossible to become totally independent, it is admirable to strive for it.
If there's anything you should take away from this, it is that there are always ways in which you can strive towards being more independent, and completing basic tasks required to be a functioning member of society does not equate independence. Before you claim to be independent, reflect on what it means to be independent.