The Psychology of Independence

Abstract

There is hardly any more valuable—and, it would seem, more obvious and definite—personal quality than independence. We can unhesitatingly enumerate the character and behavior traits that are embraced by this concept—internal freedom, internal uniqueness, distinctiveness, nonstandardization, originality. But let us reflect. As a personal quality, independence indeed presupposes (1) the ability to make and carry out important decisions by oneself, without outside coaching; (2) the responsibility and willingness to answer for the consequences of one's actions; and (3) the conviction that such behavior is practicable, socially possible, and morally correct.