Blog Post 1- The Giver

1. Would you want your future to be decided by others? Why or Why not?

2. How do you feel about the "standard practices" and "rituals" in the community?

3. Why is interdependence fostered in the community?

I chose to answer question number three. I chose it as, interdependence is one of the most important parts of life today and I believe I'd be able to relate a bit more. Interdependence today is focused on the fact that we learn about teamwork and how to depend on others in life. It's basically preparation for independence. We depend on our parents for money, support, love and care as well as a roof for us to stay underneath. Later on in life we learn to let go of our dependencies, and spread our wings. This allows room for independence. We learn how to depend on ourselves and ourselves only as we grow up get jobs and drift away from our dependent lives and become adults. We can make space for our own lives.

Now we can learn a bit more about the question and dig a little deeper. Interdependence in Jonas's community is a big part, (huge in fact) of the community. Interdependence for them is less messy, and more formal. It involves things such as buttons on the back of jackets so that they have to depend on others to button it for them. This is helpful to induce interdependence and forms many bonds. They help each other but they don't lend money as we do for financial support, because they don't have any financial problems.

Finally, interdependence is fostered in the community to prepare them for the huge amount of responsibility dropped on their shoulders at the age of twelve. It prepares them for their jobs. It helps them become more dependent on others. This is important because in such a small community it's helpful if everyone can rely on each other. Then they can all follow the rules together. This way everyone has a bond with each other, and they all enjoy being in each others company. Though we have the same levels of interdependence, we don't have as many bonds. They are forced into making and creating relationships with others and relying on each other. You can have your best friends, but there is nobody that is excluded from friendships.

When the four, five and six year olds wear the back buttoned jackets they start to learn how to be co-dependent and ask each other or family members for help while buttoning the jackets. As it's literally impossible for them to button or unbutton themselves. Then when you reach seven, you're able to get front buttoned jackets- a visible symbol of independence. Then at eight there are small pockets on your coat- which signify that you're old enough and mature enough to take care of your own belongings. I think that the aging and symbols are given to early. It's okay to be mature at eight, but independence should start a bit later then seven. Sure, you can feed yourself, you can walk by yourself and take care of yourself, but it doesn't mean that you should be completely independent. This is one of the major differences from our community and Jonas's community. Independence and Interdependence is staged at different times and is represented differently.

Independence in our community means: getting a job, going to college and university- abroad or in your home country, earning your own money, having your own house and even starting your own family. This starts much later on in our lives, but in their community they start their jobs at twelve. For us that's much too early, but for them it only seems normal. It is a lot of liability for such young people. Even though our communities differ in strategy, staging, representation and a lot more, we still agree on one thing. We all agree that interdependence should be fostered, so that they can be ready for the lives ahead. This way, they have connections for the future and can always ask for help when needed. After all, even when independence starts, interdependence never ends.

Thanks!

Enjoy your weekend!

*Cindy*