Are We Really in Control?

In a world that prides itself on freedom and individuality, the concept of choice is celebrated as a cornerstone of modern life. From the clothes we wear to the careers we pursue, we are constantly told that we have the power to shape our lives through the decisions we make. From Influencers to Philanthropists, we have been sold the narrative that we can change the world - or at the very least, our lives. ​​But what if this sense of control is merely an illusion? The choices we believe are ours are, in fact, beyond our control? 

The illusion of choice.

“Decisions to decisions are made but not bought” MGMT “Kids”

The illusion of choice refers to the perception that we have a wide array of options when, in reality, our choices are often limited or pre-determined. For example, when you walk into a supermarket, you might see dozens of brands of chocolate: white, milk, dark, full cocoa, natural etc... However, many of these brands are owned by just a handful of parent companies. The variety is superficial and what appears to be a wide selection is often just different packaging for the same few products.

“You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Dr Seuss “Oh! The places you’ll go!”

In democratic societies, the people are told they have the power to choose their leaders. However, when political systems are dominated by two major parties or extremist ideologies, it leaves little room for real opinions. Voters may feel they are making a meaningful decision, but the options available are often limited or even unpleasant. Many end up having to vote for one of two politicians that they do not fully align with, like picking the best of two evils. Because, realistically, your views will never fully align with someone else’s, so voting often comes down to strong campaigns and powerful elites.

“Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without” The Matrix

I was 10 when I first watched ‘The Good Place’ and was introduced to the Trolley Problem. 

Imagine you were standing near a train track. The train - now out of control - is going full speed towards five workers who cannot hear nor be warned of their impending doom. You are next to a lever that would redirect the train towards a second path. However, this side track holds one solo worker, just as oblivious as his colleagues. The question comes to, would you sacrifice one life for another, what about one life for five? 

The questions get more and more absurd as you go, what if it was your mother alone on the second track? The man that would cure cancer?

The basis of this ethical question is that there is no right way, no matter what you do, you can never be ‘right’. 

My 10 year old self taught myself clever and decided to not touch the lever at all. I couldn't possibly be blamed for something that I did not do. 

“When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice”- William James

While being passive is oftentimes easier, the act of not reacting is a conscious decision. Many resolve to indecisiveness: to not vote, to not buy chocolate at all. In a time where we are bombarded with choices, sometimes the easiest is to not make one at all. The illusion of choice - or lack thereof plagues our everyday lives. And to be able to be strong enough to realise that we do in fact, somewhat have full control is terrifying. While I've somewhat made the illusion of choice out to be something negative, we built this for yourselves.

"We are all just prisoners here, of our own device." Eagles, "Hotel California" 

For you and I, it provides a sense of control and autonomy, which is psychologically comforting. Even if our choices are limited, the act of choosing can make us feel in control. We like to believe that we can be the sole steerer of our ship, that we control where we end up. For businesses, it allows them to maintain control while providing the appearance of freedom. By offering a curated set of options, they can guide behavior without overtly imposing their will. When my sister was younger, instead of forcing her, we would ask her “Do you want to brush your teeth or go to bed?”. This is a way of offering choices instead of demands to be met with less resistance. This gives them a sense of control, while this works for children, it happens to all of us. What makes it scary is that it often goes unnoticed right under our noses.

"We’ll never be those kids again." Frank Ocean "Ivy"

While this seems all the more depressing, I have some good news. You can, indeed, do whatever you want. You can go out and rob a bank if that's what you really desire, I however, cannot guarantee that your stay in jail will be amiable. In a world where we are fed these so called ‘choices’ realising is half the battle. We have been told time and time again that we only live once. Have fun, You only live once. Work hard, this is your one life. We are constantly reminded of the fleeting nature of our existence, yet we often forget that the choices we make - or don’t make - shape the trajectory of that one life.

"Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you."  John C. Maxwell

The illusion of choice is a subtle yet powerful force that shapes our everyday lives. While it can provide a sense of control, it often hides the influences that guide our decisions. By being aware of this, we can begin to make more intentional choices and regain a greater sense of control of our lives.

True freedom lies not in the number of options we have, but in our ability to choose authentically. The next time you find yourself standing at the crossroads of a decision, remember: even the choice to not choose is a choice, and - if you are ready to face the consequences - you have free will in your favor.

Your life is really in your hands.

“Life is what you make it” Eleanor Roosevelt

Source:

https://neal.fun/absurd-trolley-problems/

Waterloo Bridge, which Londoners cross on a daily basis, is not the original bridge. In the 1930s, the bridge was ordered to be rebuilt. Waterloo Bridge was deemed very important for the war effort due to strategic movements of the military. It had to be renovated and up and running by the time war was in full blow. And so, Architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott commissioned a new bridge design so that by 1939, constructions were underway. However, with the looming threat of WWll, almost the entirety of the male workforce were occupied with the war effort. And this little fact is very important as it resulted in over seven million women being able to work real jobs during the war. But where am I going with this? An iconic bridge needing to be rebuilt from scratch? A severe lack of men to build it? An abundance of women joining the workforce in their place? There’s a reason Waterloo Bridge is being dubbed “Ladies Bridge”! The Waterloo bridge we know today was built by thousands of women until it was unveiled. It is hard to find the exact percentage, but it has been agreed that up to 65% of the construction workers responsible for building it were women. 

Yet, why were these women erased from history? Like many tales of inspiring women with forgotten stories (stories I will eagerly attempt to uncover, one newsletter edition at a time!), a huge factor is simply a lack of society being willing to record their feats. The company that hired these women went into liquidation in the 80s and nobody made any effort to preserve a large majority of the photographs, logbooks or records of the labourers. Wartime censorship also played a role in erasing all traces of these women.

But, today, their legacies will live on! In 1945, an estimated 5% of women were manual workers. This figure is impressive because women received the right to work just before 1930; meaning in merely 15 years, thousands of women fetched their tools and got to building. Over the past 90 years, that number has quadrupled to about 12%. These are inspiring women; who keep the legacy of forgotten female labourers alive with each project they join. 

If you would like to help keep the Waterloo Ladies’ memory alive, you can sign this petition by the Women's Engineering Society to have a blue plaque placed on the bridge in commemoration of the workers: sign the petition.

Magic - Illusions Within Ourselves

I recently stumbled across a live magic show. You know, the ones where they turn a stick into a flower or even make a fully grown man disappear in plain sight. They are supposed to be magical—full of mind-blowing illusions, but this time it felt a bit different. It seemed to be much less extraordinary than they used to be.

It reminds me of another show that I watched when I was little. I was around 8 years old, visiting Macau with my parents. There, a bright poster of a magic show stood out from the dull concrete walls of the pier. Immediately, I was hooked by it. I wanted to be there; I needed to be there; I was meant to be there.

From a young age, I was fascinated by magic. Not just the way it made people gasp and laugh, but rather what was behind all of it. A question that would stick in my head was, ‘How did they do that?’. I know that I am not alone in this curiosity, and soon, I began searching for the ingenious functions behind them. I went all over the internet: YouTube, Google, and even the cable television programs (considering it was still a fairly dominating form of entertainment at the time). All that work only to search for an answer.

I can still remember sitting in front of the television every day after dinner, waiting for that one series. According to them, it had revealed ‘magic’s biggest secrets’. That same mysterious masked man would stand in that same dark building, performing and then revealing to the audience how he had done the tricks. With such an experience, I thought I had expertise in magic, confidently believing I could see through the ‘deceptions’ used to fool the common people.

Stepping into the magic show years ago was truly otherworldly. It felt as if I had entered the wonderland, a counterintuitive world of imagination. I felt mind blown. The performance seemed flawless to the little me; for I had thought the magic reveals I watched would have helped me understand everything. Clearly that was not the case. Viewing it as a live performance was far more fascinating.

A few years later, the COVID quarantines happened to create hours of free time daily. I chose to spend a fair amount of time on learning card tricks. I practised and performed it for my family, in return for a few giggles. As it happens, I have begun to touch upon a seemingly deeper level of magic – tricking one’s mind through the illusion within ourselves…

Coincidentally, the magic show I watched lately happened to be by the same magician from which I had viewed long ago in Macau. However, I could no longer use the words, ‘WOW!’ to describe my feelings afterwards. It was certainly not due to the low-quality presentation, only that I have ‘grown’ from the naive child I was before. Perhaps I have seen more magic reveals; perhaps I have read more books; perhaps the illusion within ourselves that brought joy is slowly leaving us.

Stay childish, my fellow schoolmates.