The Myth of Independence?

With today’s spotlighted story,  I find myself thinking about myths.  What is a myth?  Myths are  powerful narratives, which both validate and guide human experience.  Myths are sometimes held as lies, and other times held as the things most true.  Dying myths tend toward the former, living myths enjoy the latter.   

With 4th of July celebrations just behind us, I find myself thinking also about Independence.  What is the narrative of independence?   Is it a myth?  If so, is it a dying myth --  becoming a lie -- or is it the thing we continue to hold most true?

Let’s think about this…

 “Independence” implies a sense of individualism.  Dictionary.com says “independence” is  “freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.”  Surely, “Independence” has become something of a cultural myth in our country, a powerful narrative of full and individualized control, leading us at times to believe we need and dare to depend on no one.  And yet, in our complex, specialized, interacting-systems-filled globalized world, we sense that such a simple narrative may today be becoming a lie, that nothing today could be further from the truth. 

Luckily, “Independence Day”, reminds us that “Independence”, though protecting the individual, is something we do together.   On July 4, 1776, early members of our emerging nation agreed on our behalf to shed “the control, influence, support and aid” of an external ruling party which we collectively deemed to be practicing tyranny  upon us.  On that day, we set out to define our own rules, and design our own narratives as a nation, in deep collaboration with one another.   So began our Living Myth of Independence.

But is “Independence” still a living myth?   If so, what is the most-true narrative of “Independence”, and what does it mean to us today?   Is the narrative of “Independence” still one of deep and collaborative self-control?    If so, who or what are we seeking freedom from?  Iis there an external control that needs to be thrown off?   What is our modern tyranny  -- the “arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power” from which we seek freedom?

I have a few ideas of my own.  But for now, I leave you with your own rich thoughts.  What is the Living Myth of Independence?