Lesson 82 • On Interdependence
There is a delicate balance between autonomy and interdependence.
To a wayfarer,
Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe. For in a sense, all things are mutually woven together and therefore have an affinity for each other….
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.38
We aren’t alone.
Even if as a stoic designer you thrive when given autonomy, this can reinforce solitary work and so make you feel alone — you aren’t. We aren’t. The butterfly flaps its wings and whether we enjoy the breeze or suffer the hurricane, the underpinning lesson to takeaway is one of mutual reliance: the work we do, the values we uphold, and the choices we make reverberate through others’ craft, others’ values, others’ choices.
“Craft virtuously” has sort of become the mantra of this newsletter. But if we think of the craft in “craft virtuously” in the singular, let’s not. It is a practice. A trade. Craft is alive and co-creative and containing multitudes. A living system that thrives through the collective strength of individuals who recognize that how they beat their wings matters.
Whether the cycle is vicious or virtuous is secondary to the acceptance that there is, in fact, a cycle. Your choice to shortcut a user interview ripples through user experience. The choice to invest more in the research does too.
This then demands a commitment to the cultivation of the culture, principles, processes, and values that silently shape the work’s character. It is not the autonomy of a lone artisan that creates meaningful work, but the autonomy of a responsible colleague who knows that their actions, however small, carry weight.
And so there is a delicate balance between autonomy and interdependence. Autonomy is the prerequisite state for collocated decision making, but we value this kind of decision making so that our colleagues can enjoy the benefits of having been decisive.
Our work, therefore, is not just about the immediate results we achieve; it is about the long-term cultivation of a virtuous cycle. The quality of our craft becomes a promise—not only to ourselves but to each other.
Craft virtuously,
A traveler.
Furbelow
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