Introduction: The Invisible Chains of the Modern World
In every civilization, power structures have evolved to control the masses. While in the past, these structures relied on brute force—kings, empires, and oppressive regimes—today’s world operates on far subtler mechanisms. The modern system does not use whips or shackles; instead, it binds the human mind through psychological chains, ensuring that people remain trapped in dissatisfaction, fear, and endless pursuit of external validation.
This form of enslavement is far more insidious than physical oppression because it convinces individuals that they are free, even as they move through a pre-designed script dictated by social, economic, and cultural institutions. The illusion of choice is carefully maintained—people believe they are making independent decisions, yet their desires, fears, and aspirations are largely manufactured by external forces. As a result, they spend their entire lives chasing after security, success, and happiness, never realizing that the very system that promises fulfillment is the one ensuring their perpetual discontent.
Vivek, a member of the NEEV Community for Self-Inquiry & Sustainability, delves deep into this deception in this powerful article. He exposes the mechanisms through which society keeps individuals in a state of restlessness and anxiety, from consumerism to competitive conditioning, from fear-based education to the suppression of independent thought.
The core insight of this critique is that true freedom cannot be granted by external institutions—it must arise from within. This is where the timeless wisdom of Advaita Vedanta offers a profound alternative. Unlike modern systems that instill a sense of lack, Advaita declares that our true nature is already whole and complete. The illusion of deficiency, which drives the machinery of mental enslavement, collapses when one realizes the fundamental truth: Tat Tvam Asi—”Thou art That.”
As we navigate through the layers of conditioning Vivek explores in this article, we are invited to question not only the world around us but also the deeply ingrained beliefs we have about ourselves. Is our identity truly ours, or has it been shaped by forces beyond our awareness? Is happiness something to be attained, or is it our natural state, obscured by illusions?
By challenging the foundations of the modern system and offering an alternative rooted in self-inquiry, Vivek provides more than just a critique—he offers a path to liberation. This article is not merely an analysis; it is a call to reclaim our joy, our freedom, and our very being.
The Illusion of Freedom
A truly free person is joyful. Joy brings clarity, independence, and an unshakable inner peace. But a restless, dissatisfied, and fearful person is easy to control. The modern system thrives on ensuring that people feel a constant sense of lack—whether in money, success, or social validation—trapping them in an endless cycle of seeking fulfillment through external means.
The System of Manufactured Dissatisfaction
At its core, the modern system sustains itself by making individuals feel incomplete. This illusion is maintained through several key mechanisms:
1. Endless Consumerism
Advertising conditions people to believe that happiness is tied to material possessions—the latest phone, an expensive car, designer clothes. Yet, no matter how much they acquire, the market always presents the next must-have item, ensuring that satisfaction remains elusive.
2. Fear of Scarcity
The system ingrains the belief that resources are limited, fostering a survival mentality. People stay trapped in unfulfilling jobs, driven by the fear of falling behind, fueling a society of stress, competition, and insecurity.
3. Competitive Culture and Social Comparison
From a young age, individuals are conditioned to measure their worth against others. Social media amplifies this, creating unrealistic comparisons that leave people feeling inadequate, ensuring they remain trapped in the pursuit of external validation.
Schools: The Factories of Obedience
If the system ensures lifelong dissatisfaction, schools are where the foundation is laid. Modern education does not cultivate independent thought; it produces obedient workers and consumers.
1. Suppressing Natural Joy
Children are naturally curious and eager to learn, but rigid schedules, rote learning, and exam pressures teach them that learning is a burden rather than a joyful process.
2. Obedience Over Autonomy
Rather than fostering critical thinking, schools enforce blind obedience. Students are trained to follow authority without questioning, preparing them to conform to societal expectations without resistance.
3. Fear-Based Motivation
Grades, punishments, and rewards condition students to depend on external validation. They grow up believing their worth is determined by approval from others, making them ideal candidates for a system that thrives on control.
Breaking Free from Mental Slavery
Freedom begins by realizing that true joy comes from within. As long as we seek fulfillment externally, we remain trapped in the system’s control.
1. Rejecting Consumerism
True happiness isn’t found in possessions. Embracing simplicity and self-sufficiency frees us from the materialist trap.
2. Redefining Success
Success should not be measured by money or status but by inner peace, meaningful relationships, and personal growth.
3. Reforming Education
We need an education system that nurtures curiosity, encourages critical thinking, and fosters independence. John Holt, a strong critic of traditional schooling, believed that the education system does not nurture a love for learning but instead kills it by imposing fear and artificial incentives. He observed:
“We destroy the love of learning in children, which is so strong when they are small, by encouraging and compelling them to work for petty and contemptible rewards—gold stars, or stickers, or ‘A’s on papers, or honors rolls, or dean’s lists, or Phi Beta Kappa keys—in short, for the ignoble satisfaction of feeling that they are better than someone else.”
He believed that children learn best when they are allowed to explore freely and without fear of failure. The modern system, however, conditions them to seek approval from authority figures rather than think independently.
Maria Montessori took a different approach. She believed that children should learn at their own pace in an environment that fosters curiosity rather than stifles it. According to her:
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind… The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”
She argued that real education should make children independent thinkers rather than obedient followers. However, the current system does the opposite—it ensures that students remain dependent on external validation rather than becoming self-directed learners.
John Holt and Maria Montessori both recognized that true learning happens when a child is free, joyful, and self-motivated. Unfortunately, the modern education system suppresses these qualities to produce individuals who fit into the larger system of control.
Here are what some other great thinkers on education have voiced:
Ivan Illich (1926–2002) – Deschooling Society
“School prepares for the institutionalization of life by teaching the need to be taught.”
Paulo Freire (1921–1997) – Pedagogy of the Oppressed
“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity, or it becomes the practice of freedom.”
Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) – True Education and Freedom
“The function of education is to help you from childhood not to imitate anybody, but to be yourself all the time.”
Noam Chomsky (1928–Present) – Education and Social Control
“The whole educational and professional training system is a very elaborate filter, which weeds out people who are too independent, and who think for themselves.”
A.S. Neill (1883–1973) – Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Child Rearing
“A child is innately wise and realistic. If left to himself, he will develop as far as he is capable of developing.”
4. Developing Self-Awareness
The most profound transformation occurs at the mental level. When we realize our happiness is not dependent on external circumstances, we begin to break free from the system’s control.
Advaita: The Path to True Freedom
The philosophy of Advaita Vedanta provides a profound solution to mental enslavement. It teaches that our true nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda—existence, consciousness, and bliss. The sense of incompleteness that fuels the system’s control is an illusion of the mind.
Instead of seeking fulfillment externally, Advaita directs us inward. The moment we recognize our true nature, we break free from all artificial constraints. As Adi Shankaracharya declared:
Brahma satyam, jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva na parah—Brahman (the absolute reality) alone is real; the world is an illusion, and the individual self is none other than Brahman.
By understanding this, fear, competition, and scarcity-based thinking dissolve. The system loses its grip, and true joy becomes our natural state.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Your Freedom
The game of mental slavery operates by keeping individuals distracted, dissatisfied, and dependent. But the moment we see through the illusion, the game ends. By rejecting consumerism, redefining success, reforming education, and embracing self-inquiry, we reclaim our autonomy.
True freedom is not given by the system—it is realized within. And once it is found, no external force can take it away.
Neev Community for Self Inquiry & Sustainability 