A Mantra Of Mutual Interdependence

The Daily Stoic for October 3rd, “A Mantra Of Mutual Interdependence”.

“Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe. For in a sense, all things are mutually woven together and therefore have an affinity for each other—for one thing follows after another according to their tension of movement, their sympathetic stirrings, and the unity of all substance.”

—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 6.38

I have come to the conclusion that human beings love building tribes and fighting against each other. Not that it’s easy to forget that we are all essentially the same. It’s that we don’t want to be.

We want to feel that we are different, better. That we belong to the privileged group, race, or the ones chosen by god. 

A Mantra Of Mutual Interdependence

Every time I come back to Spain -to spend some days and visit the family- I think about that. I have decided to go on a low information diet, so I don’t read newspapers or visit infotainment sites anymore.

However, once you are in Spain, it’s impossible to escape. You heard it from your friends, family, from the conversations at the metro. The Spanish society is deeply divided: liberals and conservatives, feminists, racists and sexists, animal rights fanatics and bull fighting supporters, nationalists and pro-independence groups…

The list goes on and on. And the sad things is, while they are fighting about stupid things, they fail to realize that we all want the same things. We want to be safe, happy, and enjoy our time with our friends and family.

I’m glad that stoicism positions in the side of blurring these differences instead of emphasizing them.

Conclusion

Today’s Daily Stoic, “A Mantra Of Mutual Interdependence”, talks about what makes us different and what interconnects us. We’ve been encouraged to think that we are different. Better. The chosen ones. Maybe it’s time for us to go in the opposite direction, and realize that we are more similar than we want to accept, and what links us together is stronger than what can bring us apart.