[alecbibat]

This has been an extremely widespread viewpoint and I think that it's a HUGE misconception. It's true that society is a machine and that there are certain costs to live in that machine. However, in most cases, I think that we are free to do as we please.

[throwaway8882]

What if I don't want to live in this rat race anymore?

Pretty much everyone reading this will be dead in 80 years - surely you must have thought to yourself "there must be more to life than this..."?

[anigbrowl]

There's a lot more to life than this. Drop out and travel for a while, get therapy, take up art, You may not succeed with your first attempt.