Do you know, we live in a noisy world? From birth, society establishes how we think, feel, and behave. Most of the time, programming happens without us realizing it. You think you are making your own free choice. Yet, many of your choices come from hidden influences. Let’s examine the hidden shackles surrounding your mind.
Read more: 10 cognitive bias controlling your life
Media Legitimatizes & Normalizes What You Think Is Normal
TV shows, social media, and movies portray their versions of reality. But that version is filtered and edited. Over time, you start to believe that beauty equates to a certain body type. And that happiness equates to wealth, cars, parties, and fame.
Eventually, your values have changed. You are in pursuit of categorized things that don’t provide fulfillment. Psychology refers to this as Social Conditioning. Hence, your brain sees what is often repeated and accepts that as a perceived truth.
Case Study:
A teenage girl developed low self-esteem after constantly viewing influencers representing ideal lives on Instagram. She later became interested. I didn’t realize I was mimicking their sadness.
Quran Understanding:
Allah shares with us in Surah off as positivity.”
Al-Hujurat (49:13):
“The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” Not the richest. Not the person with the highest amount of followers. Righteousness, not notoriety, is still the only thing that emboldens you.
Education Dulls Creativity
Education should be inspiring. But many school systems reward compliance and memorization. You learn to comply with rules, not question them. Eventually, you lose your creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking.
They teach you what to think, not how to think. Psychologists call this “conformity training.” Your original intelligence gets boxed up.
Real-life example: A 10-year-old boy loved drawing strange animals. His teachers told him to “follow the lesson.” Eventually, he stopped drawing altogether. Society conditioned him to doubt his originality.
Islamic Perspective: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encouraged critical thinking. He would allow certain companions to provide different views or ideas even when he disagreed. So, in Islam, ‘aql (intellect) is a gift from Allah.
Career Paths Are Pre-Written
From a young age, you are asked, “What do you want to be?” When it comes to the answer, the list is short: doctor, engineer, and lawyer. Anything else does not seem important enough. Society convinces you that success means having a job title and a hefty salary. Even if you acknowledge that voice, fear will silence it. Your family, culture, and traditions pressure you to “succeed” and “fit in.”
Scientific Explanation:
Per Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, self-actualization comes from a life lived through your truth—not someone else’s plan.
Consumerism Creates False Desires
Everywhere you turn, someone is trying to sell you happiness. “Buy this, and you’ll feel better.” Advertisements trick the brain into understanding that things provide happiness and not peace. Eventually, shopping becomes your therapy. You collect items, not peace. Marketers use psychological triggers: urgency, scarcity, and fear of missing out (FOMO).
Inner World Reflection:
Ask yourself: Do I want this? Or did I get told I need it? Inner peace comes from conditioning yourself to stop buying lies.
Qur’anic Context:
“And do not waste. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils.” — Surah Al-Isra (17:26-27)
Social Scripts Shape Our Definition of “Success”
In a world full of unspoken social scripts, you’re expected to follow a path to a meaningful life: study hard, get a job, get married, buy a house, and retire. Someone who deviates from the script seems “odd”. Still, not everyone fits the model of these social scripts. Some are meant to travel. Others are meant to be poets. Some may live in a small home and still be joyful.
Psychological Link:
Referred to as “social scripts,” the principle understanding is that we follow the paths set by society, and when you create your own, mental health is improved.
Case Study: A young man quit a corporate job, earning a 6-figure salary, to be a farmer. He said, “For the first time, I feel alive.”
A Taboo Society Blocks Inner Healing
As individuals stay silent, emotions are buried. Society tells them to “stay strong,” on the surface, by pretending. Silence creates wounds. Hiding is not conducive to healing for your mind.
Islamic Principle:
The Prophet ﷺ expressed his sorrow when Khadijah (RA) died. He wept, mourned, and demonstrated emotion. Islam does not ask that you hide when you are in distress.
Support from a Psychological Perspective:
The therapist will tell you that simply being able to talk about something painful is the first step toward healing. Your brain will rewire itself when you can process whatever feelings you are experiencing, to be completely honest with yourself.
Peer Pressure Usurps Your Identity
You are wearing whatever is trending. You laugh at jokes you don’t even think are funny. Just to fit in. Humans are built for connection; therefore, peer pressure is a strong influence. Through this process, you slowly forget who you really are.
Scientific Perspective:
Mirror neuron studies identify that your brain imitates others automatically. This is completely natural, but can be dangerous if you’re unaware.
Real-Life Example:
There was a girl from a religious family who felt misplaced at university. She faced ridicule from classmates for her modest clothing. Eventually, she modified her image and adopted a secular lifestyle, and later fell into depression. “I was never myself”, she recalled.
Islamic context:
“And do not follow [them] of which you do not know…” — Surah Al-Isra (17:36)
Fear of Judgment Drives Your Life
What will people think? This fear is a prison. You don’t try new things. You don’t speak your truth. Society makes you value people’s approval more than your self-respect. However, to grow, you need to take risks. When fear grows, your soul shrinks.
Inner World Reflection:
The more you live for others, the more disconnected you feel within.
Islamic Shift in Power:
Allah mentions in Surah Az-Zumar (39:36): “Is Allah not enough for His Servant? “You don’t need everyone’s approval.
So, what can you do about it now?
First, understand the programming. That’s crucial. Awareness is the breaking of the chain. Second, begin questioning everything. Why do I think that way? Who is speaking from my head? Third, reconnect with your inner world. That is where your fifth sits. In Islam, we take refuge in our naïfs. In psychology, we refer to it as our authentic self. Fourth, obtain knowledge – both spiritual and scientific. Allah encourages us to reflect.
“Do they not reflect upon themselves?” Surah Ar-Rum (30:8)
Final Thought: The Garden Within
Your mind is a garden. If you don’t plant the truth, you will grow weeds. Society is busy throwing out seeds of fear, doubt, and imitation. Allah has given you water, your heart, your ‘aql, your soul. Nourish your garden. Protect your thoughts. Reclaim your inner universe. The outside world will never stop trying to program you. But the antidote is you.
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