Entrapment and Manipulation: The Subversion of Agency

[BruceRGilbert]

There are many techniques employed in subjugating and limiting the extend of someone's freedom. Initially the approach is made through using a person's own choice to limit their future choices. Little by little, through naivety, a person's agency is relinquished because of their desire to conform. Such is the case with entering into verbal contracts "in good faith" without knowing the full extent of the conditions, expectations and stipulations being placed upon them. This is the result of ignorance and not being informed or made aware of the "small print." Fore-swearing is never a good practice in entering into a covenant or contract without knowing the extent of the agreement.

Recall the story of Faust:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles

Here is an example of another type of "Manipulation:"

1 Corinthians 14:
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

[jadd]

"Initially the approach is made through using a person's own choice to limit their future choices"

Right before I graduated from BYU I had an experience with this. The University was discussing setting up different variances of political science degrees - "with emphasis." They were completely getting rid of a "plain" political science degree. However, in creating this new "program" they limited what classes you were allowed to take and forced you to take others in order to obtain an "emphasis" or you wouldn't be able to obtain your degree. I thought it Ironic that the students were limiting the freedom they had by choosing by vote to limit the control they had of the classes they could take. All in favor of a "cool" name or "emphasis." So, by giving hte students the illusion of choice, they now had less to choose from and are now prevented from pursuing a broader or different education within the political science department of BYU.

As an aside I disagree with the term political science and believe it to be a misnomer as one can not "science" their way or others into a certain way of thinking. It should and always should be political philosophy, but in order aggrandize themselves they have attached the name science to their study, which as another aside ironically follows modern science and "truth" rather than taking a true scientific approach.