We Need Others, Just like they Need Us

I think as we all grow older we realize how important other people are to us. When you're young and growing up, you rely on everyone; your friends, your family, your teachers, your coaches. It's hard to go throughout life without someone standing beside you pushing you to go further, accomplish more. I love the topic of individualism verses collectivism because I feel like it relates so well to everyone's life whether or not they know. In my own life running cross country is a perfect example of this. Although it is a team sport, it is also an individual sport. At practice it's your teammates and your coaches that push you to go faster, to go longer...but in the race, it comes down to one person and that person is you. YOU are the only person that can push yourself to your limits, and YOU are the only person who can stop yourself. Question 53 of the Power of One Socratic seminar questions asks..."does the strength and influence Peekay finds in his companions impact the power of one? Or does "one" not refer to individualism at all? Is the theme of this novel the power of one- as in an individual? Or does Peekay owe his power to other forces in his life?". I feel just like in real life, Peekay needs others to help build him up. In real life, we all try and surround ourselves with people that only build us up, but will be there to catch us if we fall, and I feel like Peekay did just that. Hoppie, Geel Peet, Doc, Grampa Chook and even Nanny and Inkosi Inkosikazi all influenced Peekay in a positive way. They all watched him grow and struggle to find his way just like a lot of the influences in our lives. We need other people to help find ourselves, and I think that is perfectly displayed throughout the novel. Even the people that tear us down, make us stronger. We saw this with Peekay and the Judge, and at the end of the book when Peekay triumphs over the Judge. We all want our lives to turn out like that, with the triumphant happy ending and the people standing beside us are the ones that will help make that happen. Peekay did get a lot of help from others, but in the end he was the one standing alone in the boxing ring. He was the one that got rid of the Judge's swastika, and he was the one that changed his own life. We all need others, just like others need us. We all help other people, just like others help us. Peekay helped all the prisoners and their families and in the end that made him a better, stronger, person just like everyone that helped Peekay became a better and stronger person. What people don't realize when we talk about collectivism verses individualism is that everybody needs a little push to get to where they're going, but some people just need a forceful shove. Everybody needs someone to build them up and someone to tear them down, but in the end YOU are the only one who can take that last leap of faith. We do it for ourselves, almost as a thank you for those who push us to get to where we needed to be.