Hello Community,
When people talk about freewill I think it is both a yes and no answer, so Yes, because as adults we can make our choices and decide how we would want to live our lives, at the same time society has rules, expectations and standards that can limit our choices, so while we do have free will, it is not completely without boundaries.
Personally I believe I have freewill, why because nobody can control my thoughts, dreams or my decisions, as an adult I can choose the kind of life I want, the people I want around me, my goals and my values, etc, those choices are mine whether people agree with them or not.
That being said, I understand why some people question whether freewill really exist, society is structured in a way that encourages behaviors and discourages others, there are laws to obey, workplace expectations, cultural traditions and social norms, If you go far outside whats considered acceptable you might face criticism, rejection or consequences, It can feel like we are all operating inside a box that is already been created for us.
However I don't see all these limitations as being bad, Some rules are there for a reason, things like respecting others, obeying laws and treating people fairly all these helps society to work properly, without some structure there would be chaos, so I don't think every boundary takes away our freewill.
For me the important question is whether I let society completely determine who I am, my answer is a very simple no, there are things society expects from people that I may not agree with, yes i don't think I should live my life based on what other people expect, just because something is popular or widely accepted does not mean that it is right for me In any way.
I think many people spend their lives trying to please their society, like they choose careers they do not enjoy because they look respectable doing it, they stay silent about things they believe in because they are afraid of being judged by others, they make decisions based on what other people will think of what makes them happy, to me that just sounds exhausting
I want to live in a way that feels authentic, to who I am, I still believe in being moral, respectful and considerate of others, Free will doesn't mean doing whatever you want without caring about the consequences, It just means having the freedom to make choices that align with your values of following what everyone else is doing.
At the end of the day I believe we do have freewill even if it has limits, society creates the framework we live in, we decide how we move within that framework, we choose our attitudes, beliefs, friendships and the kind of people we want to become.
So while I recognize that society influences us, still i don't think it takes away our freedom in any way, I believe that I still have the right to choose my path, i may listen to advice, yes respect laws and consider others opinions, ultimately I want my life to reflect my own choices, not just societies expectations.
