We are controlled by
- what we fear so much that it changes the course of our life-path and our action
- what we "can't live without" or get heavy withdrawal symptoms from
- what gives us pleasure but disables us and makes us incapable and weak
- what we believe in without questioning or attempting to explore
- what we find comfortable and want to keep even while knowing that it makes us handicapped
- what makes us feel both overconfident and unjustly pathetic
- what we think is "true" based only on pure reasoning
- what we think is "true" based only on pure sensation/feeling
- our hormones
- our genetics
- our weak, untrained bodies susceptible to all kinds of influences
- sexual energy used for wrong reasons/in wrong ways (and it has nothing to do with religion/morals)
- flock/crowd mentality
- over-reliance on industrial technological advances while turning weaker physically/mentally/psychologically
- impure heart
- ingrained behavioral patterns and automatic reactions learned from others since day 1
- automatic thought processes that "just happen" or "come from nowhere"
- emotional reactions
Do you still think humans are actually FREE?
Please feel free to add to this list. This is just something to think about and not get too relaxed in a multitude of illusions about our supposed "freedom". Freedom isn't just about social processes or politics. It starts with our individual minds, bodies, thoughts, reactions, and small everyday actions we take (or do not take) in our "regular" mundane lives. If a human being isn't free in managing his/her emotions, feelings, or bodily cravings, for instance, can we really talk about some great Freedom out there, or even FIGHTING for it?
I'll give a very inconsiderate example right now, but let's imagine an obese person - obese not because of some genetic disorder or illness, but because they eat too much and deprive themselves of even moderate physical activity... And then this person who can't control his own body and appetite goes and tries to fight for some kind of "freedom" out there... Freedom to... what, be allowed to have as much as you want in a nice, comfortable society that pampers you, and eat yourself to death?
Maybe a biased example, so I'll make another one. ME. I have many automatisms and weaknesses in my own life. I allow myself to be fooled and controlled by so many things... Everything, starting with things I "just do" to thoughts and ideas that just happen to go through my head... It's more often than not a complete disaster.
I'm sorry, folks. But while our minds, bodies, and lives in general are heavily NOT ours because of how we are used to do things and what we are taking for granted, almost every battle for this ephemeral freedom will be lost.