Happy "Inter-Dependence" Day!

Holidays are funny things.

They being about an idea. A celebration of something. And the evolve into a more amorphous event, a celebration of ... well... celebrating. Christmas is about the Birth of Jesus, of course, but it's also about getting a new Plasma TV and a tree.

So -- this 4th of July, I find myself thinking a lot about the celebration of "Independence day". The celebration of the idea of America, at a time when I'm having trouble finding examples that make me proud of our best American ideals.

Let's start with the concept of Independence. Back when we threw tea in Boston Harbor - I understand where the idea of Independence came from. Freeing ourselves from tyranny and taxation without representation. We wanted freedom. Freedom to make our own laws, to govern ourselves, to create a society. And remarkably, historically, and importantly we got that freedom. That independence. We fought for it. Many Americans died for it it. Perhaps it wasn't that simple back then - things rarely are - but through the lens of time and history it makes sense.

Can we say that about today? Will the war(s) in Iraq and Afghanistan be looked at with the clarity of purpose and clear historic import that the Fourth of July once did?

Today, the independence that we cherish and celebrate is in fact much more about dependence.

We are dependent on the middle east for oil. There's no doubt about this. Our 'way of life' is fueled by oil, and our President, our Corporations, and our citizens are essentially powerless as the price of oil climbs with no end in sight.

We are dependent on immigrant labor, low cost and often undocumented workers who provide a significant portion of the workforce of our factories and our farms.

We are dependent on loans from Japan and China, loans that cover the massive debt we've accrued
(japan, 592.2 billion dollars, China, 502 billion dollars)

And perhaps most complex, we are increasingly dependent on the complex interconnections between countries and companies and consumer goods. We imported 256,206.70 million dollars worth of goods more than we exported to China, for example.

Oil. Labor. Debt. Trade.

This is an era of Inter-Dependence, not In-Dependence.

You may not like that. You find that troubling, even somehow unpatriotic to suggest as we light fireworks and barbecue.

But to celebrate independence, rather than explore, understand, and think about the complexity and importance of managing our interdependence risks a widening gap between the world we live in and the image of ourselves we see when we look in the mirror.

So, why delve into this on a day of celebration?

Because, I think there's really an opportunity to embrace the changes in the world - and find leadership that embraces the complexity and the advantage in celebrating "inter-dependence day".

Think about it. Oil isn't our problem, we're all tied to it. Solving the problems created by the use of fossil fuel is addressing a global need, not a regional issue. We should be making alternative energy job #1 for the US economy. It's not just an environmental cause, it's a political one as well. We can lead the shift to new, renewable, environmentally safe energy generation and consumption. We should.

Labor. The issue of borders, and immigration, and security is one we share with all developed nations. Here too leadership rather than narrow minded closed borders and fences could provide the world with new ideas about how people and nations and populations interact. The fact is, that as more and more jobs become 'place-less' and services can be provided over the internet, labor like data management and phone support and more will not be tied to a physical place. Thinking about labor simply in terms of borders is old fashioned and postpones the opportunities and the issues that face us. Here too leadership is essential.

Debt. Our issues with debt have to do with the complex relationship between ownership and identity. Are American investors going in and buying up landmarks and key assets in Japan and China? Well, there's no doubt that venture capitalists and investors are putting capital in those countries, of course they are. Investors are looking for undervalued assets, and they'll buy them wherever they exist - borders not withstanding. To my mind, multi-national ownership is part of the fabric of the country.

And last but not least, Trade. This is deeply complex, but it seems to me that we've got a remarkable position in the world in creating ideas that evolve into products.

Americans. We're in our dna storytellers and entrepreneurs. And in a world where resources are no longer bounded by physical space - there is a huge opportunity to re-imagine the American Experiment. We can lead in world thinking, commerce, and inter-dependence. And we should.

That's how I'm celebrating my 4th.

Comments

[Gma11]

Vlacav Havel once spoke to our Congress about a Declaration of Interdependence.

I love my country, but don't worship it. We need to balance love for country with love for our world.