Dear Friends,
It seems to me, independence isn’t based on wealth, but on character. Because there are plenty of poor people who are totally independent, while most rich people are utterly dependent on the system. Like the old TV show Beverly Hillbillies illustrated. The hillbillies lived off grid and independent of societal comforts, then after they hit oil they continued to live independently. Even as the banker, who was rich all his life, was utterly dependent on society, illustrating this truth in a humorous situation comedy. Jed had practical competence. He could make anything from a chunk of wood. The family was humble but wary of insults. Their hard life proved an innate resilience. The Clampetts’ humility, authenticity, and independence was contrasted with the AstroTurf dependence of the city.
Practical competence is the cornerstone of independence. If you took some random person, stripped them and set them in a temperate forest… most would be dead within 24 hours. If you did the same to a cave man, he would thrive. Because the cave man has the practical skills to make what he needs from his surroundings. This is practical competence. The modern man however lacks the skills to survive in the wilderness… without a gun, tent, sleeping bag, various tools, food, a compass, etc… Even then survival over a long term would be tricky. This illustrates the practical ability to survive. Not simply in the forest but in the urban jungle as well. All skills learned improve our practical competence in our lives. Moreover, a modern person well skilled has a better chance of survival in the wilderness.
Humility might not seem like an important factor in independence but it is. Arrogance requires an audience. Humility requires nothing. Arrogant people then need others to be around. The proud person can’t lift a finger unless the world knows about it. So the proud and arrogant learn few skills, and those they do are largely theatrical. The humble, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about an audience. They can learn skills and apply them in the dark. Moreover, a humble person is able to take emotional knocks far better than a proud neurotic. This means humility brings emotional stability which is a factor in independence. The person able to take a gut punch and help others despite it, is independent, while the person who falls apart at the first sign of trouble, is dependent.
Resilience comes from humility, practical competence and is the final piece of the puzzle to independence. Lacking a huge ego that’s effectively a raw nerve, the humble roll with the punches. Because the skilled aren’t at the mercy of others, they are more resilient. Eastern Hemlock is a beautiful tree that can live for centuries. They have a tendency to fall over in windstorms though, they get ring shake, and their roots are susceptible to mechanical damage. Meanwhile, hard maple trees almost never fall over, they can get mutilated in a storm and keep on growing, and logging doesn’t harm them. For all their beauty hemlocks aren’t as resilient as maples. Because the maple tree can take a beating and survive while a hemlock could die from minor damage.
Virtue arises from resilience, humility, and practical ability. Independent people need not fear the trials of life, they have the resilience of a maple, the humility of a mouse, and the practical abilities of a cave man. So why should the truly independent fear anything? Those without fear are able to be virtuous. Because it’s generally fear that keeps us from speaking our minds, doing what we were born to do, and standing up for what’s right. Independence removes that fear, allowing us to be virtuous. Moreover, if you live in fear, becoming independent is the best solution for anxiety. People who can stand on their own two feet don’t get panic attacks. Such people comfort those who do. So, you don’t have to be rich to be independent… just practice humility, become resilient, and learn practical abilities.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
