Everyone wants to be independent, right? We want to have the freedom to do what we want without relying on other people. We want to live according to our own goals and values. We tend to think that depending on other people will get in the way of living our lives as we wish. That’s all bullshit: nobody is truly independent.
I struggled with having to rely on my parents. I have had mental health problems throughout my adult life, so I’ve depended on them for practical and financial support for thirteen years. I had to leave three jobs because of mental illness; despite providing doctor’s notes explaining my absences, my employers seemed to regard the absences with suspicion and instead of supporting me, put me under more pressure so I ended up resigning. I have paid my parents “rent” to cover some of the grocery and utilities I use since I left college at eighteen, but my finances have been irregular for long periods so my parents have lent me a lot of money. I would not be able to live alone because the benefits I receive barely cover the living expenses I have now, which are minimal.
I also rely on my parents to pick up my antidepressant prescription. I could probably do this myself nowadays, but in the past I have been too scared to leave the house – let alone go into a pharmacy and talk to strangers. My mum also makes sure I eat a proper dinner most of the time, which sounds trivial but makes a big difference when I’m too depressed to cook for myself. My parents accompany me to appointments when needed and make phone calls on my behalf when I’m too anxious to do it myself.
As you can tell, my life is far from independent. I rely on state benefits and my parents just to survive. I rely on the NHS to provide me with treatment for my mental illness – treatment which has helped me to become a little more independent. I have learnt not to feel guilty about being a burden; at least, most of the time – it’s one of my major insecurities during periods of depression and/or anxiety. I have also observed something interesting: I have never met a wholly independent person.
All UK residents are entitled to NHS treatment which is free at the point of service. We rely on our employers to pay us on time and follow workplace laws which protect us. We depend on the police force to prevent crime and convict criminals. We expect supermarkets to sell us good quality food. Even if we consider ourselves to be someone who will never claim benefits (hey, I used to be one of you!), the welfare state still provides a safety net. Whether you like it or not, you are not self-sufficient.
On a personal level, most of us depend on family and/or friends for many things. Moreover, many of us like helping others and enjoy being asked to help out a friend or relative (within reason, of course!) – yet we balk at the idea of asking for help ourselves. I also find it fascinating how some forms of dependence are accepted, while others are criticised by many people. Apparently, living with my parents at 31 is shameful, but if I had kids and relied on them for free childcare nobody would bat an eyelid. Going to an appointment with your mother is viewed as a bit weird, whereas going with a partner is completely normal.
Being so dependent has opened my eyes to the hypocrisy surrounding the idea of “independence”. The major difference between those who think they are independent and the rest of us, is that we are aware of how we depend on others. A lot of people are simply unaware of their own privilege, like the middle class white male who gets a good job because he was recommended by a friend of a friend but is convinced he was the best candidate. Independence is an illusion. Once we give up this illusion, society will be more empathetic and compassionate towards those who need support – in particular, elderly people, people with disabilities and people with mental health problems. When we accept that nobody is wholly independent, we empower everybody to set and achieve their own goals in life, without worrying about how others may judge them.
After all, nobody is going to tell Stephen Hawking “yeah, you might be one of the most successful physicists of our time, but your achievements don’t count because you depend on other people to fulfil your basic physical needs” – so why do so many people think it’s acceptable to ignore some people’s achievements simply because we can’t be as independent as others?
