Do independent books have as much support as independent bookstores?

 I used to work at a Barnes and Noble and I was paid about 7 dollars an hour, eventually creeping up to 11 dollars after twelve years.  I stayed for the insurance, which was okay, but not something I could use much anyway with my schedule.  And as I worked there, I noticed a lot of support for independent bookstores, almost as if working in one was equivalent to overseas mission work in a war zone.  There was respect for that industry, and disgust for chain corporations.  I felt it as a worker, but stayed anyway and read a lot. Many times, that was the theme of the criticism, that booksellers at chains weren't real readers. But we were, depsite no pay whatsoever for any of our education.

Anyway, that reality of underpaid work actually supports the low view of chain corporations but I just want to throw one more thing in the mix which is this: now that I am an author, I am again on the disrespected side because I self published.  Things have gotten better with that, so they say, but I just am wondering about this admiration for independent bookstores as it compares to readership for independent publishers.  I am not sure people are so supportive of writers who don't get rolled through by the "big Five" publishers, speaking of aggressive corporations. Mostly I conclude that I should do as I have always done, which is just make friends and know that things will be better in heaven.