The question of independence and self-reliance is certainly important here, because it's at the heart of secular humanism and it's opposed to the Christian principle of original sin. Christians demonize self-reliance as satanic impudence, and they emphasize how dependent we are because they take up the viewpoint of the poor masses who are indeed socially dependent.

Interestingly, the ancient Greek Cynics also took up that perspective, and they say the poor have it made because they're free from social pressures and illusions. They lived like dogs on the streets and reveled in their independence from society.