Reality is made up of relations rather than objects.

—Carlo Rovelli

On this Independence Day, let’s consider what independence is and where it has taken us.

Merriam-Webster defines the word independent thus:

not dependent: such as

1. 1. (1): not subject to control by others : self-governing

(2): not affiliated with a larger controlling unit

1. 2. (1): not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent

(2): not looking to others for one’s opinions or for guidance in conduct

(3): not bound by or committed to a political party

1. 3. (1): not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood)

(2): being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living

1. 4. : showing a desire for freedom

These are all noble pursuits, no doubt, but where have they led us? Let’s look at each of these definitions in turn:

1.(1): not subject to control by others : self-governing

While, as a nation, we are no longer beholden to the British, it would be difficult to argue that Americans are not subject to control by others. We call our representatives ‘lawmakers’, after all. In short, our Federal system alone has a Code of Federal Regulations with around 250 volumes consisting of approximately 200,000 pages; the decisions of the US Supreme Court contain roughly 600 volumes, many over 1,000 pages long; reported decisions of the US Courts of Appeals occupy over 3,000 volumes; and reported decisions of the US District Courts can be found in over 2,500 volumes. Our quest for self-governance has led, paradoxically, to extreme over-governance.

1.(2): not affiliated with a larger controlling unit

Fiscally, the US government is the largest in the world, spending over 6 trillion dollars last year. With over 20 million employees, our public service is also one of the largest in the world. So, we certainly have a larger controlling unit—much larger than England’s, by the way.

2.(1): not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent

As per Rovelli’s quote at the beginning, is this even possible? Nothing can exist independently of something else. If it did, it still wouldn’t exist outside of itself because it would have no relationship with anything. Like it or not, we all rely on something else. If you have a vehicle or a gun or a house, you relied upon manufacturers, on miners, on distribution systems, on a monetary system, and on so much else.

2.(2): not looking to others for one’s opinions or for guidance in conduct

Byron Katie has famously said, “if I had a prayer, it would be this: God, spare me from the desire for love, approval, or appreciation. Amen.” While this quote supports this point to some extent, it is important to recognize that many interpret this element of independence to mean they can do whatever they want without consequence. This is not and has never been the case. Actions have consequences, so unless you have a very strong moral compass, it is advisable to take the guidance of others into consideration.

2.(3): not bound by or committed to a political party

This is a great ideal. Unfortunately, our first-past-the-post system almost always ensures that one of two major parties will represent us. A movement towards ranked choice voting has begun in this country, which will give voters more freedom to support the candidates of their choice. A movement towards proportional representation would also be of benefit here. But the size of our government and the power its status quo wields continues to make any movement towards electoral reform slow and arduous. And even if you aren’t personally bound by a political party, we are all bound by the decisions of those who govern us.

3.(1): not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood)

As per the point above about not requiring or relying on something else, this is simply not possible. Even a business relies on its customers.

3.(2): being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living

Unless you’re retired, the heir to a fortune, have won the lottery, or have made your own fortune, this is a real stretch. Certainly, there are some living on welfare who may technically fit in this category, but have you seen how much they receive? It’s barely what one could call ‘a living.’

4: showing a desire for freedom

Show me somebody who doesn’t have this. Wherever you live, whoever you are, freedom will be important to you, whether you have it or not. And like over a million incarcerated people in the United States (20% of the world’s incarcerated population) and the slaves who preceded them, many people here desire freedom they cannot have.

So independence may be a great catch cry, but when you break it down it doesn’t seem to mean a whole lot. In some ways, it turns out it isn’t even possible. We are all part of the whole, and you can’t be independent from that no matter how hard you try.

Let’s look at the reality of the situation instead: interdependence is the reality. We all exist in relation to everything else; together we comprise the whole.

So why not celebrate Interdependence Day instead of or in addition to Independence Day? There is so much to celebrate with interdependence: we can celebrate those who serve our communities; our families; our friends and peers and neighbors; we can celebrate our relationship with the more than human world—nature, the environment, the air we breathe; we can celebrate our symbiotic relationships with the plants and trees that give us oxygen and the rivers and streams that give us water; we can celebrate the government that gives us roads and education and law enforcement; businesses that provide us with our needs; we can celebrate those who work to make our lifestyles possible, from laborers to doctors to physicists to the armed forces.

Stop for a minute now and consider who and what you are interdependent with.

Now stop again and consider who and what you are not interdependent with.

Which list is longer?

We are all in this together. It is time we celebrated the fact.