"Choice is an illusion. In reality, our lives are controlled by the society in which we live."

Choice is a matter where we exercise our decision-making power on. Some argue that choice is an illusion and that our decisions are shaped by the constraints of the society we live in. Others argue that choice is a basic right and we have the power to make a choice in everything, no matter what the circumstances are. The author takes the former stance. However, I take a more moderate view between the two. I believe that there are both formal and informal forms of social control that affects our choices in many areas of our lives, whether directly or indirectly. However, to claim that choice is nothing but an illusion is an exaggeration for there are some areas of our lives where we can exercise our power of choice on.

Societies have formal forms of social controls that are created for the purpose of maintaining stability and peace in the community. These are the direct forms of social control that members of a society are made aware of. They can take the form of written laws and regulations, bodies of authority and power, judicial systems, punishment systems and so on. These systems serve to condition members of a society against aberrant and deviant behaviors that are detrimental to the well being of a society. In this sense, our power of decision is tempered by the rules and conditions laid upon us by our society. For example, we cannot kill as we like for it is a criminal action and punishable by law. This is not to say the acts of crimes do not happen at all but at the existence of social control tends to affect how we make our choices.

Of course, when discussing the freedom of making choices, we must also take into consideration the degree of freedom allowable in each society. Degree of freedom varies from society to society. Liberal and democratic countries provide more areas of exercising the power of choice on such as political and social sphere. Societies that are more conservative and autocratic tend to infringe on more areas of personal freedom. For example, the ‘fashion police’ of Afghanistan are created to ensure that women are dressed appropriately in public. Different societies have different standards as far as power of making choices go. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” is a very apt saying that exemplifies the notion of conforming to the rules of one society. The point is, no matter how disparate societies are in terms of social control, there are always various forms of social control that influence our choices in how we dress, the way we conduct our behavior for we fear repercussions from powers of authority.

In addition to the formal social control that are set by governing powers, more informal methods of social control take in the forms of norms and mores. Social norms and mores are the unspoken guide of social conduct which was formed over time and derived from established practices. While some behaviors are not considered criminal, it is not exactly sanctioned either and is frowned upon. As an illustration: The act of picking the nose is considered disgusting and most people avoid doing it (or at least in public) to avoid disapproval from others. Humans are social creatures and want to belong in a collective group. In order to gain approval from their peers, they will conform to these unspoken rules. These ‘soft’ rules condition our actions and affect our decisions and interaction with others.

All the abovementioned factors influence the way we make our choices. However, to claim that we not have the ability to make any choices at all is false. There many are areas where we get to exercise our power of choices in. However, our choices are from a limited range and are in a controlled environment. Even so, there are many ways for a person to make a choice that is purely his or her own without any influence from society. Take the example of the Amish people. They are a subculture group that chose to live their lives in a more primitive way without modern facilities. Their method of living defies the conventions of the majority social norm but it is also a choice that they have made.

In conclusion, choice is not necessarily an illusion. It is undeniable that there are forms of societal controls that influence our process of decision making. However, we are still able to make choices in many areas of our lives that are free of influences of society.