We like to believe that our choices are our own—that our free will is a sacred and unassailable part of our humanity. I know I do. But my experience and research show otherwise. People's actions can be influenced, manipulated, and even predicted through a variety of controlled factors.
As much as it pains me to acknowledge, influences from marketing, algorithms, social norms, and corporate power shape our decisions in ways we rarely recognize.
And yet, when the consequences of these manipulated choices manifest—economic inequality, environmental damage, public health crises—government oversight and regulation are often scapegoated. We're told the problem lies in too much oversight, and that regulations infringe upon our freedom.
This is the gaslighting of our era: the illusion that unchecked "freedom" serves us better than protection from those who seek to exploit it.
The True Power of Influence
The reality is that the lack of oversight doesn’t preserve free will—it hands control to corporations and powerful entities with the means to manipulate it. Whether it’s through propaganda and subtle nudges in advertising, the algorithmic shaping of our social media feeds, or carefully crafted campaigns that exploit our fears and desires, the public is often led into decisions that benefit a few at the expense of many.
Consider how industries influence our habits:
Food companies engineer products to exploit our cravings, often at the cost of our health.
Social media platforms design apps to maximize screen time, impacting mental health and productivity.
Energy companies lobby against regulations that would protect the environment, framing them as threats to jobs and "freedom."
This is not freedom; it’s manipulation under the guise of choice. Leaders have a critical role to play in challenging this illusion and protecting the public from manipulation.
The Role of Leaders in Defending True Choice
Advocating for Transparency - Leaders must push for transparency in corporate practices and government policies. People cannot make informed decisions if they don’t know who or what is influencing them.
Championing Ethical Regulations - Regulation isn’t about restricting freedom; it’s about ensuring fairness. Leaders should advocate for policies that protect individuals from exploitation and manipulation, particularly in industries that wield significant influence over public behavior.
Educating and Empowering Communities - True leadership involves empowering people to understand how their choices are shaped and how to resist manipulation. This means promoting media literacy, critical thinking, and access to unbiased information.
Redefining Freedom - Leaders must reframe the conversation around freedom. True freedom isn’t the absence of regulation—it’s the ability to make decisions without undue influence. Protecting that freedom requires much vigilance and intentional action.
The intersection of government, corporations, and the public will always be complex, but leaders have a responsibility to prioritize the collective good. By addressing the forces that manipulate our choices and challenging the systems that exploit them, we can move closer to a society where free will is more than just an illusion.
Leadership in this context is about courage—the courage to call out gaslighting, to advocate for protections that serve the many rather than the few, and to create systems where informed, intentional choices are possible.
The question isn’t whether our will can be influenced—it can. The question is whether we will allow it to be controlled by those who profit from our ignorance or protect it through intentional leadership and advocacy.
So, what role will you play in ensuring our will remains our own?
People ask me what I love about marketing and most people look at me like I have two heads when I say "its a vehicle for changing culture and the people in our communities".
Your article highlights the problem and my greatest fears wit the field.
To your question about the role I intend to play? keep sharing and showing. Over the past 5 years I have been working with my community to grow entrepreneurs. there is something magic that happens to someone mindset when they are in charge of "making it happen". Thank you for sharing and giving me food for thought.
PS. I'm always curios as to how people find my articles. I was looking for black leaders…