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The actress and thinker Jessica Barden once spoke words that resonate with the timeless yearning of the human soul: “Independence was something I really wanted from a young age and I think it really helped me make sense of myself, more so than perhaps say going to university would have done.” Though these words are spoken in the language of youth and experience, they carry an ancient truth — that independence is not merely a condition of freedom, but a journey toward self-knowledge. For it is only when one walks alone, untethered by the expectations of others, that the spirit begins to recognize its own reflection.

At the heart of Barden’s quote lies the wisdom that true education begins in solitude. While universities and institutions can teach knowledge of the world, independence teaches knowledge of the self. To strike out alone, to make one’s own choices, and to bear their consequences — these are the lessons that no lecture can convey. In her words, we hear the ancient call that has echoed through all ages: “Know thyself.” This command, inscribed upon the temple of Apollo at Delphi, reminds us that self-understanding is the highest wisdom — and that it is not found in books alone, but in the living of life itself.

The origin of Barden’s thought can be found in her own path as an artist. From a young age, she entered the world of acting, carving her way through experience rather than academia. Her independence — emotional, financial, and spiritual — became both her teacher and her trial. By choosing her own course rather than following the expected one, she discovered not only freedom but identity. In this, her journey mirrors that of countless seekers across history who have stepped beyond the gates of conventional learning to find their own truth.

Consider the story of Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day become the Buddha. Born into luxury and destined for greatness, he left his father’s palace to wander the world in search of meaning. His independence — his refusal to live by the script written for him — led him to the wisdom that would illuminate nations. Like Barden, he understood that understanding oneself requires stepping away from the familiar paths laid down by others. Whether through the deserts of exile or the struggles of daily life, it is the same truth that reveals itself: independence is the forge in which the soul is shaped.

Yet, Barden’s words are not a rejection of knowledge or education — they are a reminder that experience itself is the greatest university. There are many who, though surrounded by teachers, never learn; and many who, walking alone, become their own masters. Independence teaches lessons of courage, humility, and discernment. It teaches how to fail, how to rise again, and how to listen to the quiet voice within. Those who seek independence early often bear the hardships of loneliness and uncertainty — but they also taste the sweetness of self-reliance, the knowledge that their destiny is their own.

Throughout history, this spirit has been the mark of greatness. Leonardo da Vinci, unbound by the doctrines of his time, learned by doing, by observing, by questioning. His independence allowed him to master both art and science, to see patterns where others saw only fragments. Jane Austen, living in an age when women were confined to silence, wrote her truth from the solitude of her own mind, her independence shaping not only her art but her identity. Like Barden, they teach us that the greatest discoveries are born not in classrooms, but in the freedom to explore, to fail, and to begin again.

So let this truth be passed down to those who seek meaning: independence is the first act of creation. It is the moment the spirit steps beyond imitation and begins to live authentically. To be independent is not to reject guidance, but to walk one’s own road with open eyes and an open heart. It requires bravery — the bravery to listen to one’s own convictions, to stumble without shame, to rise without bitterness. For in every act of independence, there is both a test and a revelation: a test of strength, and a revelation of who you truly are.

And thus, the lesson of Jessica Barden’s words is clear: seek your own way, even when the path is uncertain. Do not fear leaving behind the comforts of conformity or the safety of expectation. For every soul must one day become its own teacher. Choose independence, not as rebellion, but as discovery — for it is through standing alone that you come to understand what it means to truly belong to yourself. Then, and only then, can you say, as she did, that life itself has been your greatest education — and that through independence, you have at last made sense of your own soul.