[moimeme]

Lest I hijack the feminism thread, I'll start this here. There have been posts about women's 'free will' and choices. These issues have always amused me, as did the political 'rational man' and the economic 'free market'.

Truly, if you look at the meta picture (as I think Sinny did in discussing consumerism), can you really believe that these choices are freely made? We have members who are the product of communications/marketing courses - in which people are taught how to manipulate others' motivations and desires, armed with social psych research straight out of the shops of major businesses.

Given this environment, can anyone honestly believe that people's choices are that 'free'?

It is my contention that one could only be truly free-willed absent all such influences. Since that condition is impossible, no mortal is actually 'free' in terms of will.

Agree? Disagree?