# XKCD "Dependency" — Meme Lab

Use when a sprawling system or large group quietly depends on one overlooked person doing the load-bearing work.

- What it expresses: Many people assume the operation sustains itself, while one under-supported contributor actually keeps every dependent part functioning.
- Example: Thirty people attend the launch, but one coordinator handles every booking, reminder, access request, and last-minute rescue alone.
- When not to use it: Avoid when responsibility is genuinely distributed across several supported owners rather than resting on one hidden dependency.
- Tags: single point of failure, hidden dependency, one person carries everything, under-supported maintainer
- Media: https://i.imgflip.com/4/5fuvmv.jpg
- Source: https://i.imgflip.com/4/5fuvmv.jpg (Source preview; redistribution rights are not established)
- Page: https://memes.significanthobbies.com/memes/328965799-xkcd-dependency
- Collection: https://memes.significanthobbies.com/collection