feeling responsible for people, their feelings, and relationships in general

Everybody acts/talks like the above is dysfunctional, codependent, etc. etc.

I’d *love* to hear more people talking about why these are *good* things, *valuable* things, *important* things. Why we *should* care about each other, for example: What’s in it for *us*? Just *possibly*, good, strong relationships that we can actually *count* on in times of need?

I think the whole ‘lone cowboy’ think has gotten so completely out of control in American culture (and possibly elsewhere) that people can no longer see it for what it is: A complete, utter, bullshit MYTH.

***
We are NOT islands unto ourselves;
we are NEVER autonomous,
or self-sufficient

in any *real* or meaningful ways – these are all ILLUSIONS.

Think of the ways you depend on other people all the time - their good will, friendliness, and kindness, if nothing else. I mean, how could we even *function* on a day-to-day basis if we couldn’t assume at least a *modicum* of civility from our neighbors, etc.?

The only reason all this *works* at *all* is because *other people* make an effort, too. It’s *not* just us. Otherwise we’d be *constantly* grinding gears, gnashing teeth, getting cross-threaded.

And it’s true – miscommunication, anger, frustration, all of it happens *often*. But think how much *worse* it’d be if there weren’t all those people out their ‘oiling’ the machine, greasing the wheels, smoothing over the lumps and bumps of life to make our path, *and* theirs, easier?