You know, “The cure for loneliness is not more independence” really hits a nerve. We’re all chasing this idea of being self-sufficient, but it’s our deep connections that truly fill the void. It’s a powerful, counter-intuitive truth.
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Meaning
It means that the solution to feeling isolated isn’t to become more self-reliant, but to build a network of mutual reliance and shared support with others.
Explanation
Look, here’s the thing we often get wrong. Our modern culture, especially here in the States, practically worships at the altar of independence. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, right? But what Junger is pointing out—and I’ve seen this play out time and again in my work—is that this hyper-individualism is actually the engine of our loneliness. We’re so busy trying to prove we don’t need anyone that we forget we’re hardwired to need each other. True belonging, the kind that cures that deep, aching loneliness, comes from interdependence. It’s that messy, beautiful, give-and-take where you know you have people to count on, and they know they can count on you. It’s not a transaction; it’s a web of mutual obligation and care. That’s the tribe.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Health (243) |
| Topics | healing (82), interdependence (3), loneliness (8) |
| Literary Style | poetic (635), succinct (151) |
| Emotion / Mood | hopeful (357), reassuring (55) |
| Overall Quote Score | 88 (131) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes directly from Sebastian Junger’s 2016 book, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, which was published in the United States. It’s a work of non-fiction that examines post-traumatic stress disorder and community from an anthropological lens. You won’t find it misattributed to someone else; this is pure Junger.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Sebastian Junger (60) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (60) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Sebastian Junger is born in Belmont, United States on 1962. He studied cultural anthropology at Wesleyan University and built his career in journalism. He is the one of the leading contributor and editor at Vanity Fair. Along with Tim Hetherington, he codirected Restrepo(2010 American documentary), which went on to win Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and an Academy Award nomination. The Sebastian Junger book list includes The Perfect Storm, Tribe, A Death in Belmont, Freedom, War, and In My Time of Dying, each marked by distinct writing style
| Official Website
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | The cure for loneliness is not more independence, but deeper interdependence |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 2016; ISBN: 978-1-4555-6638-6; Last edition: 2017; Number of pages: 192. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 3: In Bitter Safety I Awake, Approximate page 87 from 2017 edition |