JULY 4, US Independence Day, when 13 of our overseas colonies in the New World irritatingly and unilaterally declared independence from Britain.

July 4, start of Salisbury Independents week, as featured in last week’s Journal, when 200 of our local businesses celebrated their continued struggle against the national multiples which take over then abandon our high streets.

Salisbury’s independent stores claim that they offer personal customer service, different product ranges and plough more of the money you spend back into the local economy.

Certainly they offer variety – and even though the high rents keep so many of them away from the town centre, their presence contributes to Salisbury’s distinctive feel. But their appeal is deeper than that. They are the little guys holding out against anonymous, bigbusiness, multinational muscle.

Echoes of Brave Little Britain fighting alone against the all-powerful might of faceless, international bureaucratic conglomerates. (Heard that recently?) It tugs at our heart strings, even if it doesn’t always reach our wallet.

Buried deep in our collective psyche is the notion that going it alone, particularly against overwhelming odds, is something to be celebrated and revered – we applaud David in his stand against Goliath. The myth sustains the movie industry, defines our national heroes, provides us with sporting success in the face of national team ignominy. The lone hero emerges triumphant! It’s even peddled by ennobled entrepreneurs as the key to business success.

The reality is sadly much more delusional and destructive. Attractive though the myth may be, the key so often to enduring success has been revealed to be working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal, setting aside personal ego and ambition for a greater good. Bill Gates, so often heralded as a lone genius, claimed creativity was less of an individual characteristic and more of an ‘emergent’ property that surfaces when people convene around a problem.

So let’s hear it for Mutual Dependence day – a celebration of the realisation that we do not exist in isolation, rather that we are enriched by being part of a community. That we can achieve much more together than we can ever alone. That supporting one another is something we should expect and never take for granted. Being there for friends, family and neighbours when needed is a privilege. Being humble enough to turn to them for encouragement and support when we need it is a sign of strength and the power of humanity.

On Wednesday I found myself clinging guiltily to the shadows as I collected an item I’d ordered online for my son just hours earlier from one of our larger characterless multiples, assuaging my guilt by munching on a rather delicious sausage roll from our nearby fabulous independent baker. Oh the sacrifices we make for our dependents!