I thought about it today. It does not matter how much we try, we are not independent from each other. It does not matter how much we we think we are, someone else always affects the way our life works.

Here is a simple example of what I mean. Think about what would happen if there was some sort of stop on the oil that is coming into your area. Then you would not have gasoline. You would not be able to drive to work. Plastics are made from oil so the things you are used to buying like pens and cups and anything that has a package would have to be delivered in a different way. Tape is made from plastic. Things would not be able to be sealed. OK, I know they have tape made from paper, but it would be harder to find because of the demand.

I started to think about what it would take to be truly independent. Here is some of what I came up with:

1. You would have to pump your own water.
2. You would have to generate you own electricity with something like solar, wind or water power. 
3. You would have to grow and raise all your own mean and vegetables. Or produce enough to trade with neighbors.
4. Find a way to power your own automobile. You could make your own bio-diesel or just bicycle everywhere you need to go. 
5. Find ways to heat your air in the winter and a way to heat you water.
6. Find a way to make enough money to pay your property taxes or leave the country going somewhere you can live without owing taxes. I believe this is impossible.