[whimsicalism]

Recognizing the satire, I agree with the implicit critique that you're making.

That said, I think we also have to recognize that there is no true vacuum of discourse - ie.

> There has to be a way to keep people in line with our society's values while still giving them an impression of freedom.

Even if this is not what we're moving to with public schooling, it is essentially what we're moving to in the private sphere post-Citizen's United, etc. only the values are dictated by those with wealth, rather than procedural, governmental power.

[calinet6]

That last point is the kicker to me.

We need to start understanding that there is no such thing as a natural state of freedom; there is only freedom from and freedom to, within specific environmental constraints and power structures. We are always influenced--the question is just what influences we want to prevent, design, or control and which we want to leave undesigned or "free."

[whimsicalism]

Philip Pettit's writing on the difference between freedom as non-interference and freedom as non-domination are very interesting on this issue.