Are Human Beings Free?

Human being have been stuck in a perpetual cycle of social circles. This can be best observed in social dynamic between the rich and the poor. "Poverty is an example of how society makes a big difference in what people become. Although the general public argues that poverty exists because people freely choose that directions, sociologists rarely make this claim (Charon 97)." In actuality, it is not people that decide to stay in one social class, it is those at the top that keep those beneath them in their place. Many sociologist have studied the lack of freedom within society and have all come up with similar conclusions. Max Weber "believed in free action, yet almost all of his work showed how we live in an iron cage of bureaucracy (96)." Karl Marx had his opinion about freedom, but "spent his life showing how powerful society is (96)." Another sociologist said that "leaders are protected by an embedded authority structure (96)." What is this authority structure or iron cage? And why is bureaucracy keeping us locked up? What is the importance of the top remaining on top and keeping the bottom down? What's more, is it right and can we escape?

I think that this notion of power and superiors is just another implanted thought. When someone has the ability to remove themselves from this idea of ranking and social class, one can be free. It is thoughts that are the binding ingredient to maintaining a hierarchy of illusions; if we do not believe in the social system, one cannot be bound and restricted by it. Thoughts are a very powerful thing. Charon describes the importance and power that thought has on us: "If something or someone controls the actor, then the actor does not control himself or herself (96)."