- Posted July 10, 2025
I have a sense that a lot of us are frightened these days. It isn’t the hair-raising fear that…
What do you call those little wooden figures with movable arms and legs that are controlled by strings from above (like Pinocchio)? It’s a puppet, right? Actually, no, that’s a marionette. I learned that from reading an article which featured a prominent psychiatrist referring to people who described themselves as marionettes of helplessness.Sadly, too many people see themselves (or others) as marionettes—controlled by strings that direct their actions. They can’t help themselves. If they stole your property, it’s your fault for not locking it up. This is a very old idea, but in philosophy, it has a name.Determinism is