What does “independence” really mean to you?

Question

Tomorrow’s all about BBQs, fireworks, and flag emojis…

But let’s go deeper for a sec:

Is independence just about a country?

Or does it mean paying your own rent, cutting off toxic people, or just being able to live life on your own terms?

Maybe it’s as simple as eating cake for breakfast and not answering to anyone 🎉

Tell us what your personal independence looks like.

MrOracle · Accepted Answer

The 4th of July is about celebrating the USA's independence from Britain. It's not really about personal independence, so most people aren't focusing on personal independence, and probably less on independence from Britain and more on beer and food.

That said, independence means that you are taking full responsibility for yourself. And to be specific, that includes planning for any likely possibility and not running to someone else for help if something unexpected happens. Of course it means paying your own way through life, but it also means dealing with your own problems and responsibilities yourself (and I would include paying for others to do certain things for you under that - you don't have to be a plumber or mechanic to be independent, but you have to be able to pay for one when you need to be independent).

An independent person has no thoughts or expectations of being bailed out of any situation by someone else unless they are being paid to do so. And it implies a fairly high level of competence at dealing with common life problems - your car breaks down, your power goes out, a relationship becomes strained, you lose your job, your pet gets injured, etc.

In my experience, people who are independent never need to say so - it's obvious to anyone around them. And the opposite is usually true too

BCRanger10 · Accepted Answer

I agree.

It's also about not getting blown up by a bunch of deep space-travelling @$$holes who just want to come here, burn down our cities, drink all our beer, smoke all our cigars, and for all we know, make the entire world a British colony (you can't prove that they weren't in on it). And then do it all over again on some other planet.

But fortunately for those other sorry Charlies, those other sad sacks of potatoes, Earth has an ace up our sleeve that they don't:...

America!

What does “independence” really mean to you?

NoDecision · Accepted Answer

We don't really have Independence. What we have is a system of government that is swayed by big money and people wanting to stay in office. Like what we have now, where people don't want to piss Trump off so they do his bidding. This is not what our founding fathers wanted. These people were elected to represent the people and do THEIR bidding, not the President's. What we need is term limits to turn all these rascals out and get someone in office that will do the will of the people, not some dictator's. Unfortunately for us, the people that supposedly represent us are more interested in their pocketbooks and staying popular with their comrades, not the people they represent. We saw that when people caved in and went with the status quo for the Big Bill instead of going with their heart. The big candy ass wusses! So you that think we have independence, we really don't. The only thing we can vote on is local elections or National elections, but have no say how our tax dollars are spent. And we can't not stop paying taxes or the IRS will take everything we have. So like it or not we are screwed.

hannamontana · Accepted Answer

Happy Independence Day! To me, independence means having the freedom to make my own choices and live life on my own terms, while also taking responsibility for those choices. It’s about being confident in who you are and standing on your own two feet.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Independence means  emancipation , in terms of thoughts and feelings, to me. Independence through dependence then, because I cannot exist as a fully independent person, it would turn me into a pebble floating alone in outer space.  I can exist as someone in the process of emancipation though. Because  emancipation never ends .  I can't relate to Independence Day though because that independence is just dependence to another institution, to a country, and a country exists only as a cultural abstraction to me,  which is a shared or not shared delusion of togetherness organized by dead people.

Anonymous · Answer

Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in this history of mankind.

Mankind -- that word should have new meaning for all of us today.

We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore.

We will be united in our common interests.

Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution -- but from annihilation.

We're fighting for our right to live, to exist.

And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice:

"We will not go quietly into the night!

We will not vanish without a fight!

We're going to live on!

We're going to survive!"

Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!

RingOfFire · Answer

To me it means thanking God that I am a citizen of the freest, most powerful, safest, most prosperous, most successful, most innovative, most just, most charitable, most compassionate, most consequential, most copied, Nation in the history of the human race. And recognizing that it all started on July 4th 1776, the day that America showed the world the path to liberation and freedom from tyranny and oppression.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

''My'' independence is:

- the absence of a 'flag' being imprinted on me

- freedom from being bossed around with no choices left or given

- the ability and opportunity to look after myself

In a ''national'' context it means (to me):

the absence of independence

Lynx122 · Answer

Being able to take life at my own pace. When things get too much I can slow down and then I can get more stuff done when I feel better :) There's also other nice things about independence but this is the most important one for me.

ManOnFire · Answer

I like your idea, I never really thought about that. It could be a celebration of independence from anything. But cake for breakfast is terribly unhealthy lol

Anonymous · Answer

July 4th is about celebrating the illusion that the government of the USA was ever about anything except wealthy, white supremacists making fortunes off of the population that wasn't in the club. America's shining moment was helping turn the tide in WWII, albeit it better late than never. Other than that, tell me when it was "great" for the average person, especially those of color?

DishLady · Answer

It's about distinguishing ourselves from our oppressors, though the founding papas proved to be oppressors in their own turn, which we're still working to alleviate and rectify.

Jersey2 · Answer

I don’t have gang members running my community and I also don’t have a heavy handed government running my community.

I am in that sweet spot in between. I can do whatever I want as long as it is within a reasonable set of laws.

DannyUk2017 · Answer

It used to be "independence & freedom" these 2 are gone since years ago now is "censorship & control".. i'm afraid for the generations to come...🤦‍♂️

exitseven · Answer

It is not having a tyrannical regime that tries to stick its nose into every part of your life and make you do something that serves the regime and not yourself

lorenzomichael · Answer

To remember in 1776 till our present day men had to die in order for me to have a day off to drink, barbecue, and enjoy my life freely the way I always do. Being born in the greatest country in the word. USA 🇺🇸 it don’t get any better than that.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

In our case? Getting rid of the Soviets in 1990 and regaining full sovereignty.

JesseP1nk · Answer

Freedom cannot be taken for granted. Ukraine is a good example of that. Happy independence day to you guys!

Massageman · Answer

People need to learn that their rights end where your rights begin.

Bloodparadise · Answer

Too much independence could get boring and dull.. It's good to play the field with some boundaries.. though, not always!

Anonymous · Answer

I'm British. We locked the doors to the daycare and went home.

Anonymous · Answer

When you can tell every body to go fuck theirselves because you have plenty of money and don't need anything from anybody. You ain't got kiss anybody's ass or eat anybody's shit.

Staximus · Answer

It means fuck the king of England and his bloody tea

noohair · Answer

I am a Citizen of a Constitutional Republic.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, independence can mean different things for different people. In the context of 4th of July (tomorrow), it means our country of the USA freeing itself from the British rule.

Simslover92 · Answer

Not having to work that day!

Arwen06 · Answer

The genocide of a native peoples.

abc3643 · Answer

An enormous shitload of money.

fonduegirl · Answer

Commercial holiday

Iron_Man · Answer

God Bless The USA 🇺🇸

Anonymous · Answer

Nothing, I'm from Europe.

Finchie40 · Answer

It’s for our freedom

LiaRaven · Answer

It means

mfused411 · Answer

Food

Dongie · Answer

It is "freedom!"

wolverin38 · Answer

Good post

Anonymous · Answer

I don't care!

Deserter3 · Answer

Partially a facade

jimmy2 · Answer

Freedom

What does “independence” really mean to you?

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America!

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What does “independence” really mean to you?

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America!

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