Yesterday, the United States celebrated our Independence Day. July 4 is officially the day that the U.S. declared itself independent from the British. And went to war to make it real.
Since then, Americans have been practicing our independence every day. I don't know how it's done, but the reality of being American is being independent. It's just part of our culture. Part of the American dream. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and all that. Depend on no one put yourself anymore than you have to.
The funny thing is that, even people like me who don't need to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, still get that independent spirit inculcated into ourselves. That desire to strive for more. Even if it's not financially based.
How does that sense of independence get passed from generation to generation? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's that our heroes fit that type. Perhaps it's the history we all learn in school. Perhaps it's just a theme in our pop culture that gets perpetuated as the American style.
Regardless of how it happens, it's a national trait. Independence. To be celebrated. And more than just one day a year.
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