What does independence mean to you?
Personally, independence
means that I follow myself. Independence is different from freedom. If a person
is independent, it does not mean that he can do whatever he wants. Independence
is a word to describe a certain kind of people who own their particular
perspectives and values that guide their lives.
For me, since I am
independent, I no longer have to ask my parents for permission before doing
something. Furthermore, I do not need to follow what other people say. However,
this does not mean that what others say is wrong. I still need to listen other
people's words even I am independent. Nevertheless, the point is that I will
judge whether their words are true or not, worthy or not. And then I will
decide to obey or not. Most notably, I do not think that there are absolute
independent people, because humankinds are social animals. We depend on each
other, and we found our values through other people. To some extent, everyone
is independent, but they are just relatively independent. In general, we still
rely on each other, for that’s how the society works.
I really like your example which perfectly demonstrates your main point. Also, the point that "there are no absolute independent people, because human kinds are social animals" provokes my thought. I think it is really a good point.Your title is great, too.
ReplyDeleteDear Shengchao,
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed reading your response to this discussion question, as what you have written is interesting and thought-provoking. I especially liked how you highlighted the important distinction between freedom and independence, which, as you say, are not to be confused, as the two concepts entail two different meanings. I also agree with your point that being independent means that you are equipped with the ability to decide for yourself whether or not you agree with something. This relates very much to the idea of critical thinking, which we have been discussing in class. Certainly, an independent person has the ability to make his or her own decisions. As such, they are most likely a critical thinker because they do not simply absorb everything like a sponge. Rather, they assess and analyze before either accepting or rejecting a notion.
However, as you say, no one can be completely independent. Have you ever heard of the saying "No man is an island"? Your post reminded me of this, because no matter how independent a person is, he or she is still, to some degree, reliant on peers, family or friends, their community, the government, other organizations, etc. As the saying shows, no one can be completely alone, like an island surrounded only by bodies of water.
You have made some excellent points in your response to this discussion question. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Sincerely,
Mitali
我很喜欢你的最后一句话To some extent, everyone is independent, but they are just relatively independent. In general, we still rely on each other, for that’s how the society works. This is very philosophical because we have to follow ourselves while working with others. As gregarious animals, we have to socialize with others, but we are also obliged to think and act independently, to some extent. 非常哲学，我就喜欢！！！
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post because what you are talking about is very similar to what I wrote in my own post. I agree with your idea that independence does not mean you can do whatever you want to do. In my post, I wrote that we earn freedom and responsibility when we become independent. Although independent individuals can decide many things by themselves, they still need to think what is good or bad and also care about other people. As you mention, we are social beings. Even after we become independent, we should respect values, morals and standards of our society.
ReplyDeleteHi Hugo,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with three of your ideas:
1, Independence is not Freedom;
2, Independence does not mean you don't have to listen to others but you have the ability to judge others;
3, We are human animals and there's no exact independence between us.
Good job, but one advice: you could reschedule your structure of this article :)
Best,
Charissa