Real Freedom is Not Independence

Depending on other people allows you the freedom to do what you want to do.

Think about it.

If you want to go on vacation, someone is gong to need to watch your children, dog, thermostat, car, whatever. If you have no friends, no one will be able to do that for you. You will not be free to do what you want to do.

If you have a disease and no one knows how to take care of you except for you, you may not be able to go hiking, biking, swimming, or traveling because of fear from what may happen if you have an asthma attack, low blood sugar, or seizure and no one knows how to take care of you in the strange place. (Additionally, you are enslaved by fear. Independent, but fearful. So, .... not free).

If you have children or a dog or simply do not have anorexia, and you independently feed your children, your dog, and you, then you are not free to do anything other than prepare meals when those times come. That's a lot of time consumed by meals, by the way. Relying on someone else to prepare food for you gives you additional freedom to do what you want to do during that time.

However, having friends you can depend on gives you the freedom to do these things and more. By being dependable, you can have more people upon which to depend. The more people in your life upon whom you can depend, the more time you have to do what you want to do, and therefore, the more freedom you have.