It's important to know, that one living being cannot exist without other living beings. We, as humans need cohabitation with other living beings in order to survive and without this cohabitation, other living beings can't exist. Interdependency is one of the most important functions of our society. Without this, our society might no longer exist. In a society it is impossible to be independent from all other humans.
In other words, it is impossible for any individual to exist outside of society. Every individual, no matter how different from the next, is affected by the society that they live in. In this society, you exist only because the society, that surrounds you has created a way for you to exist. The individual is a tiny molecule made possible only by its surroundings.
It's only through the interactions of the human society, that you as an individual ever come into being and it is the interactions of the human society, that bring about the changes that are needed to advance mankind. The advancement of mankind is a collective effort. Nobody else can advance mankind for you, just as nobody else can extinguish mankind. Only you can do that.
Now, this isn't to say that you can't do anything on your own. You can. You're very strong, for example. You can accomplish things, that normal humans couldn't even imagine. But you can't do everything and you can't do those things if you don't participate in the advancement of mankind.
Why Is Interdependence Important?
Interdependence is the glue, that holds a society together. It's what binds the members of a community together. When one part of the community falls apart, the rest falls apart as well. The falling apart of one part of the community inevitably leads to the disintegration of the whole. Without interdependence, a community cannot survive. This is why it is so important to maintain the framework of society. It is through maintaining the framework of society, that we as a whole advance. Without the framework of society, we as a whole regress.
When a human community falls apart, it does so in a very predictable manner. The first to go is often the most dependent part of the community. It's the weakest part, that often goes first. But, it is the presence of the weak part, that is what keeps the strong parts together. The strong parts are the ones most likely to resist if the community is to fall apart. If the society falls apart, it is the strong parts, that will hold the community together.
How Do You Maintain Interdependence?
The easiest way to maintain interdependence is to accept, that interdependence is both a given and a choice. It's given to us, because it couldn't be any other way. It's up to us to decide whether we want to participate in the maintenance of that given condition. That's why it's called a choice. You choose whether you will participate. You can always choose not to, but you can't always choose to.
There are ways to maintain a given condition, and then there are ways to maintain a given condition to achieve a particular goal. It's your job to figure out what the right course of action is. The easiest way to maintain interdependence, is to make the strongest parts hold the community together, while interfering as little as possible with the lives of the rest of the community.
Why Do People Become Extremists?
Many people, for various reasons, feel the need to break away from the collective. They feel as though they have something to contribute, even if their contribution is merely to bring chaos. They feel as if they're being left behind even though they're the first to leave. They feel as if their lives are of little value, even though they have little value to give.
When a group of people feel like this, it's not uncommon for them to band together to create their own community. It may not be the best way to live, but it's one way to feel satisfied. Most people, however, don't feel this way. Most people don't have the luxury of choice. They're born into a given situation, and they have no way of knowing any different. They can't even imagine a life without the security of the given condition.
And when security is taken away, people are scared and nervous. They're uncertain of themselves and their future. They may not even have a future, that they can envision. They may only see, that their present moment is lost. People who feel this way are often the most unstable. They're the ones, that often times become violent and unpredictable.
When it comes to interdependency, these people have no regard for the well being of others. They only worry about their own needs and wants. They don't feel as if they have a choice in the matter. They feel like their lives are being wasted, even though their contributions are necessary for the continuance of the community.
In Closing
Interdependence is a given. You can't take it away. It's only through interdependence, that any of us are able to coexist peacefully. And in order for you to coexist with anyone else, you must coexist with everyone else. Everyone else is a part of a system, that you must interact with if you want to survive.
You can't survive without people, and you can't survive with people if you don't interact with people. So you either interact with people, or you don't. It's as simple as that. Your attitude towards people is a reflection of your past choices. Your choices have given you the attitudes, that you currently have.
If you want to change your past choices, you have to start with yourself. You can't change anyone else, neither can anyone else change you. This is something that you must come to realize. Now, go forth and choose your attitude towards people. Choose how you will participate in the maintenance of your given community.
For a society to function, there must be a number of parties united to achieve a common effort, as you indicate coexistence and knowing the importance of interdependence are the engines that join forces to achieve common ends.