Interconnectedness and Society

Common Humanity

The realization that we do not go through life on our own is part of what is called common humanity (an element of Kristin Neff’s model of self-compassion). Common humanity is the idea that suffering is universal; in other words, even if we feel we are the only ones suffering, others on this planet are also suffering in the same way at the same time (Hansen & Warren, n.d.). Common humanity may be one of the most powerful and hopeful elements of human interconnectedness because it is a reminder that others are not alien to the kinds of hardships we experience in our personal lives. 

Welcoming common humanity can not only free us from loneliness, but it can also free us of prejudice. As humans, we might become comfortable with certain groups that we are familiar with, hesitating to branch out to others who are different from us. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Master and peace activist, wisely addresses this kind of hesitation. He says: “Fear is born from ignorance. We think that the other person is trying to take away something from us. But if we look deeply, we see that the desire of the other person is exactly our own desire—to have peace, to be able to have a chance to live” (Hooks & Nhat Hanh, 2017, para. 51) . Once we realize that all people yearn for peace, we can start to connect with others who may have initially seemed too distant from us, in new and exciting ways. 

Interconnected Cultures

Humans have different cultural backgrounds that lead to diverse values and worldviews. Learning about cultures other than our own give us insight into how different people view the world, offering an expanded lens by which we ourselves can view the world. Western cultures tend to view themselves as the pinnacle of innovation and wisdom; however, the individualistic goal-oriented nature of many of these cultures often pull people away from recognizing their own interconnectedness. In this section, we will learn how philosophical wisdom and cultural values from various groups can help enhance our understanding and pursuit of well-being. 

Eastern philosophy can help explain how interconnection enhances well-being through the term “interbeing”. Interbeing, a term coined by Vietnamese Buddhist Monk and scholar Thich Nhat Hanh, is the suggested replacement word for the verb "to be," Interbeing means to interdependently co-exist and recognizes the dependence of any one person or thing to all other people and objects. For example, laughing at a joke requires a relationship between two people, clean air to breathe, and a cultural understanding of humor. Similarly, finding meaning in life requires an environment that enables a sense of self-efficacy, a culture that encourages meaning making, and some kind of community with which to experience meaning. In western cultures, the pursuit of success at the expense of others is often the norm. Thich Nhat Hanh helps teach us that this individualistic pursuit not only harms others but also harms ourselves as we lose shared meaning and relationships found in the collective pursuit of goals.

Watch Thich Nhat Hanh introduce Interbeing in this video:

Interconnectedness can also be seen in Hawaiian culture, which teaches us about how deeply we can value the people around us. Most of us have heard of the common Hawaiian greeting “Aloha”. Often we equate “Aloha” with “Hello” in English, a simple greeting. However, Aloha in Hawaiian culture can explain a great deal more about how its people traditionally value interconnectedness. Consider this excerpt cited by Curby Rule (2001): 

“Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain—it is my pain. When there is joy—it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian—this is Aloha!” (para. 4). 

This wisdom is a reflection of how we can grasp interconnectedness and bring it into our awareness. As the excerpt suggests, our actions impact not only ourselves but other people, animals, and forms of life. Interconnectedness, as defined by Curby Rule, gives meaning to why we respect our fellow humans and the earth: because they coexist with us and belong to a being higher than ourselves. Hopefully, we can learn to recognize the deeper meaning of Aloha—shared humanity and responsibility to each other—as we move forward in our lives, and we can learn to respect the people and cultures that we love. 

One pertinent concept from African culture which illustrates interconnectedness is known as “Ubuntu.” According to the book “Ubuntu and the Reconstitution of Community,” edited by Kenyan literary scholar James Ogude (2019), the concept of Ubuntu has its origins in the language of  Nguni, spoken in southern regions of Africa (Ramose, 1999, as cited in Weidtmann, 2019, Chapter 4, p. 103). Ubuntu can translate to “the African understanding of humanity or humanness” (Weidtmann, 2019, Chapter 4, p. 103). 

In the video, Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2012), who is an important spiritual leader and anti-aparthied activist, connects Ubuntu to the phrase “I am because we are.” He encourages: “Live to your highest potential, and see the potential of others.” Watch this video to hear more from Archbishop Tutu:

Because Tutu’s interpretation of Ubuntu embraces both the self and the collective group, we are invited to see that our aspirations and the aspirations of those around us are not mutually exclusive; we can pursue our individual dreams while still appreciating and acknowledging our connectedness to humanity. Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes this shared pursuit of happiness in the quote below: 

 "In Africa, when you ask someone, 'How are you?' The reply you always get is in the plural, even if you're speaking to just one person. A man would say, 'We are well, we are not well.' He himself may be quite well, but his grandmother is not well, so he is not well either. The solitary, isolated human being is really a fiction."

Desmond Tutu was an important anti-apartheid activist. Once during a university sit-in to protest anti-Black policies in South Africa, Archbishop Tutu sat and prayed with the protesters despite being surrounded by police with dogs. Archbishop Tutu recognized the interconnected nature of human beings and risked his own safety to care for and be with others. 

Along with the recognition of the interconnected relationship between people, many cultures recognize the interconnected relationship between people and the environment. Indigenous people in Northern America have a special relationship with their land. Many members from this culture view land (and the plants and animals on it) as a vital part of their shared destiny. In order to properly live life, care and responsibility needs to be given to the cycles of the natural environment. Well-being is found through interacting appropriately with these natural cycles rather than finding personal success in spite of them (Interconnectedness Overview from the First Nations Pedagogy Online Project). This quote from Chief Si’ahl in 1854 helps illustrate this point: 

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” 

The circle symbol is an important part of many American indigenous worldviews. The circle represents the continuous nature of life, with both relational bonds and the natural world following endless cyclical paths (Hill, 2006). Watch this video below to learn more about the indigenous worldview:

Although all of these cultures have different origins and perspectives on well-being, they all understand the importance of deeply recognizing other human beings and remembering the interconnected nature of human life. 

A Note on Cultural Responsibility 

Those from individualistic goal-oriented societies can benefit from reckoning the cyclical and connected nature of life. Individuals from these cultures can recognize how systems of governing have hurt groups from collective cultures—stealing land and undervaluing people—and work to right these wrongs by sharing resources and building relationships. Further, they can contribute to the well-being of others by respecting their traditions, cultures, and lands.