You make good points about the unfortunate existence of cultural norms and expectations, but I would have to question whether it’s the institutions or the individuals who are to blame.

Even though it’s true that in some cases, people subjected to “freedom infringement” can truly be called “victims”, these are extreme situations, like children raised in the cult of the Westboro Baptist church or in an environment of a perpetuated Jesus camp. Indeed, the minds of these children are literally indoctrinated from birth, because the ideas are so dogmatic, and the authority figures leave no room for exposure to alternate options in their lives. But in many other circumstances, the individuals seemingly subjected to institutions clearly do have freedom of choice and have the options of choosing different ideas. it’s within their own power to reject confinements of institutional religion, female body objectification, etc. That is why I care, but feel little sympathy, for the vast majority of supposed “victims” of the media, social image, or religion. If they want individual freedom, then all they have to do is make a conscious decision to reject their own complacency and indifference. And some people do. If others really care about their personal freedom and society’s unfortunate lack of it, then it’s within their power to do something about it. And the sad thing is, some people don’t – don’t care, that is. I feel like some people really are just happier living in ignorance, for that is their bliss.

But that’s not to say I find individual advocacy purposeless or ineffective. It’s clear that individuals have the power and agency to change the patterns of society. Indeed, individuals who reject cultural institutions are the only ones to have ever changed anything about this world. But progress is slow, painstakingly so. It’s not society that has to change, it’s the people within it who do.

Which leads me to think of a quote by the great Mencken, who once wrote: “I have little belief in human progress. The human race is incurably idiotic. It will never be happy.” Is this true? How much does that matter? Perhaps the best we can do is find happiness ourselves – if it doesn’t improve society, too bad, not many things do. And if it does involves the progress of mankind, then so much the better. The question for me to ask then, is how high are your expectations?