I never got myself introduced to the word interdependence deeply enough. The only words I heard were dependence and independence. Dependence was framed as weakness. Independence was glorified as freedom. No one said there was a third stage, a higher one!
While reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the stages became clear. Human growth isn’t linear and it evolves through three distinct phases. Dependence → independence → interdependence. Each level demands mastery before the next one can begin. Dependence teaches survival (you do it for me). Independence teaches self-reliance (I can do it myself. Interdependence teaches creation (we can do it better together), the ability to build something larger than oneself.
Most people never move past independence. They confuse self-sufficiency with completion. But independence is still defensive. It’s about proving you don’t need anyone. Interdependence begins as a choice out of independence. At that stage, collaboration stops being transactional. It becomes generative. Win–win kinda strategy. It’s where your competence meets another’s and multiplies. It’s the evolution of independence.
Culture celebrates the lone achiever, not the integrated builder. Yet everything enduring ecosystems, partnerships, systems, nations runs on interdependence. Independence may make you good. Interdependence makes you scalable. Applies to all slices of life.
Cheers!
PS: can we call this as synergistic effect?
Check out the previous post: Randomness and Order
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