Interdependence

Interdependence is a reciprocal relationship among two or more individuals, groups, or systems. In an interdependent relationship, members may be emotionally, economically, morally, or ecologically reliant on others, while also being responsible to each other. Interdependence is the middle ground between independence (freedom from responsibility to and reliance on others) and dependence (relying on others without supporting them in return). Larger socio-political discussions often highlight that interdependence is the default state of both all human beings within a community and all living systems on Earth, and making an arbitrary distinction between human civilization and the environment is a harmful idea that must be adjusted to bring our relationship back into balance.