Being Self Sufficient

In a perfect world, able-bodied, adult citizens would be self sufficient, and children would be progressing toward that goal.  Of course, in 21st Century living, all of us participate in global interdependency.  Back in the day, accepting "welfare" from the government in any form wasn't a condition to which citizens aspired.  Now, it's common practice for citizens to seek and to be proud of dependent status for everything from food stamps and handicapped parking stickers to welfare and unemployment checks.  I suppose I'm one of those people because I am 65, retired, and receiving Social Security and Medicare.