The Conditioned Animal : The Illusion of freedom in Domestication

The society has allotted us different roles: father, teacher, preacher, madman, president, opposition leader, doctor, wife-beater, wife, alcoholic, jury, felon, and so forth. The education, legal, and other systems get to decide who and what we will be in life. It’s our damned fate.

We simply can’t escape it. When we try to emancipate ourselves from our assigned roles, we are treated as dissidents. Conformity is a canonical value. It’s vital for society’s stability. A society can’t tolerate too many dissidents; it will crumble and collapse.

In many ways, the human animal is no different from other domesticated animals. For instance, the man needed milk but couldn’t afford to get it from a wild cow, so he domesticated it. Society tames and domesticates him as he progresses from childhood to adulthood. This is done mostly through observation and indoctrination via education systems-whether formal or informal.

It’s end month. The conditioned human will receive his reinforcement (salary) after having performed in his allotted role. He is salivating, refreshing and checking his bank account, waiting for his end-month reward. Oh, wow! At last, he is rewarded for pressing the lever (working).

In anticipation of his end-month reward, the brain releases surges of dopamine, heightening the anticipation. Sometimes, the boss decides to delay the pay, or fate happens and the reward is delayed. The pain of not having received the reward fuels him into frustration and anger. This drives him into a state of amotivation.

The excitement of the reward is often fleeting, since the reward is mostly too small to free him from the role-play. The system has been structured to keep him pressing the lever. He never gets ‘enough’ to quit. Working becomes his conditioned response. It’s just inescapable, so he thinks.

His excitement and vigour for life are sucked out of his soul like ticks on the back of a cow. Sometimes he is unaware, and sometimes aware, but he feels chained to his corporate task. His adventurous spirit, dream, and purpose are snatched from him. He no longer resists; completely defenseless. Society calls him stable, responsible, and he becomes a good example for others.

When he decides to quit, society pressures him to take another role: a husband, and later, a father. He is supposed to provide and build a home. This pushes him to pick up other side hustles to cope with increasing demands for extra resources.

Every day, he has to sustain the appearance of being busy. Acting is part of the role. He is always trying to appear busy, even when he should be recharging. The master likes that; every dime must be earned. When he is not watched, his attention is drawn to other actors on social media. These actors’ lives seem to be in perfect shape: no flaws, just soft life.

This deludes him. Comparison kicks in, and he feels miserable. Am I not doing enough? His Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) axis is activated. He feels more miserable. The body prepares for fight and flight responses, yet he is fixated in his seat. His body is responding to imaginary stress. No wonder anxiety, depression, and lifestyle diseases have doubled in the last decade.

Once the day ends, he sighs with relief. He can now remove the mask and be real. What a relief! The wife or husband interacts with the naked human animal. This becomes the routine; until he retires, is fired, or is replaced by AI.

 I suppose you could make the necessary changes to transform your life and make it more meaningful. You could take up a new role, act differently, and embrace your fate. The choice is entirely yours, regardless of the chaos in your life. More specifically, your attitude.

“That which doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche 

    ~John Wanjiru

 Mental Health Professional  

wanjirukjohn@gmail.com