Blog 38: Every Man for Himself

"Rugged individualism" is a fairly famous term. Most people credit its coining to Herbert Hoover. When I first heard it, however, it was from an AP US History teacher named Ken Senter (one of the best teachers I've ever had, in fact). He said that early Americans built our society on this idea of being self-sufficient, stubbornly independent lone wolves. Those weren't his exact words, of course, but the point stands. I think the obstinate attitude of our forefathers is still present today. When I was younger I saw a lot of merit in these ideas. Yeah, pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps. Strive and heave and claw your way to survival. Never ask for help, never surrender your pride. As I get older, though, I realize more and more how important it is to have community. Yes, I am all for hard work. I believe that in order to truly reach your purpose, you have to contribute time, effort, and passion. I can't help questioning, however, whether that rugged individualism is the product of wisdom or simple arrogance? I'm inclined to believe the latter.

I have always had an intense desire for independence. Maybe the fact that I equate independence with freedom is a matter of conditioning, or maybe it's the product of being the second youngest in a sibling set of six. Either way, over the years I've had to come to terms with the fact that we all need other people. Whether we rely on them financially, emotionally, or even physically, we cannot be whole without fellowship and human interaction. Being around others and communicating with them is a key way that we discover what it is about ourselves that we need to work on and change to become better people.

I hate having to ask for help. I like being the hero, not the damsel in distress. Maybe it is that very pigheaded part of me that God is trying to work on at the moment. Maybe that's why my car broke down, then the truck broke down, and now I have to get rides everywhere. Not that I think it's a punishment. I think it's an opportunity. Do I still absolutely hate it? YES. But having to depend on others teaches you who can actually be depended on for support and understanding. Situations like this are also perfect instruction for compassion. I usually don't mind giving someone a ride when I can, but being stuck like this really makes me want to go out of my way to help other people.

I am starting to believe that our disjointed, "every man for himself" way of life is a terrible misunderstanding of what it means to be a strong and productive people. The New Testament church, for example, shared their belongings, distributing their possessions where they were needed and working together to accomplish common goals. I'm not a fan of handouts or socialism, or our crippling Welfare system in this nation. But I am a fan of all of us working hard together to reach a better world. It's an ideal, sure. And there's pretty much no way we can get everyone in on it. But what if we could just touch our friends and family, infecting them with a desire to give and receive as needed rather than horde things like misers. What if we began to practice true charity and profitable cooperation in our every day lives? What would change? What could we become?

I'll confess, I sound a bit hippie-ish. I know it. It all started when I read The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. I don't agree with every sentence or suggestion, but he has some great ideas on what it means to be a good Christian or just a good human being. The rest of this comes from the life experience of taking a huge shot to my pride and admitting that I need you--my friends, my family, the stranger who holds open a door or helps me pick up something I've dropped--and whether you're willing to admit it or not, you need that community, too.