Look, this post has been wildly more popular than I thought it deserved, apparently at least in part because “don’t burden others; be independent” is far more ingrained in people than I realized. So here’s the thing: society works when people help each other. Helping others gives people a chance to know each other, and gives them an investment in the people they help. Helping creates bonds. People enjoy helping, and you are doing a good by letting them help you if they so wish.
Offer help; accept help. You will be a part of creating a helping culture. Which, incidentally, weakens capitalism and the fractionation between people that benefits those who would use us.
