Social Institutions and Manipulation

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As teenagers deviate from the constraining grasp of their parents, they begin to establish their own identity through decisions. However, the development of self-identification is frequently hindered by societal institutions such as the: justice system, religion, and the media. Anthony Burgess', A Clockwork Orange, shows and how freewill is suppressed when Alex, the main protagonist, undergoes Ludovico's technique, religious lectures, and social is forced to ascribed to societal norms influenced by the media. Similar to the treatment of criminals in our society, these manipulative techniques are used to instill pain when Alex' desires violence or music, as a means to finding salvation; though fear, police officials, indelible ads, and the law are purported to be used to mitigate crime, they ultimately suppress freewill through coercive techniques. Therefore, American citizens are not privileged with the power of choice because even the means to establish the self is entwined and repressed through societal institutions.

When citizens envision prison, they envision solitude, protection, and safety; but, beyond these protective walls, criminals and society are subjected to unlawful constraints implemented by the dictatorial Justice System as a means to suppress freewill. The Justice System is influenced and mostly dominated by moguls and corrupt, politicians; the development of power between these two institutions is established through money and robust relationships. In return for money, government officials will collude and implement constraints placed on society and against heinous criminals, while they are held in captivity. Samuel McCracken, acclaimed writer and researcher asserts, "free choice is diminished for everyone...

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... specific things that were not apparent to us because the media has the ability to influence choice.

Since the advent of choice governing institutions- religion, justice system, and media, the common notion of possessing freewill is commonly admired, but as citizens of a country founded on constraints, we are not privileged with freedom of choice. If institutions continue to limit choice, there would be dire consequences bestowed upon the citizens inherent rights to freedom of choice. Moreover, the incorporation of governmental institutions, religion, and media into our daily lives has severely crippled our ability to decide because constant implementation of multiple influential factors such as the law, salvation, and media, hinder our decisions. Therefore, the conscious decisions we think we make are, in fact, manipulated by some perpetuated outside variable.

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