The way the story goes is that after Adam and Eve screwed up and committed "Original Sin", humans were gifted with something called "Free Will". In a lot of ways it was akin to God giving humanity enough rope to hang themselves. The deal was you could follow my rules, live a good life, and end up in heaven after you croak, or you can be a sinner and go to Hell. It was a very convenient way for the Church, and those in charge of the various dominions to ensure their subjects toed the line.
It gave everybody the impression they were free to do as they chose to do, when in actual fact they were being programmed to live according to certain social, moral, and political standards that suited those who dictated what constituted good and evil. It's much the same today, as most of our laws and social codes are aimed at ensuring the few in charge are able to control the many who aren't. After a couple thousand years of this code dictating our behaviour, most of it's so ingrained that it's second nature. We have developed what we consider natural inhibitions that prevent the majority of us from deviating very far from the accepted norm.
Our society isn't unique in this; all societies develop codes of behaviour that are geared toward sustaining the status quo and keeping order. However it's not only learned behaviour that dictates our actions. Feelings, like the love a mother has for her children, may not tell us how to behave directly, but because they are a part of our overall matrix, they colour every decision we make, whether we are aware of it or not. Who hasn't considered feelings important in their lives before doing something like accepting a new job, or even deciding on going out after work before heading home?
There are always people looking to turn the way our brains work to their advantage. If you have any sense of awareness, you know that these days you are continually being bombarded with information that's designed to manipulate the way you think. Commercials, political speeches, and anybody with an opinion continually try to trigger reactions in your brain that will make them seem favourable to you. Like Pavlov and his famous dogs, the commercials, and everyone else, are trying to train you to drool for their particular bell.
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Article comments
1 - Niall Rough
Loved the review, Richard, I've never read Bakker but this sounds brilliantly disturbing - I've been thinking about picking 'Neuropath' up for a while already and your recommendation means I'll do that sooner than later. Thanks!