In 1990, the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze penned a short essay on the notion of a “control society,” a concept that offers a powerful lens through which to understand modern forms of power and manipulation. A control society is a society where power operates through constant adjustment of behavior and thoughts, often facilitated by technology and media. This is in contrast to a “disciplinary society,” a term coined by Deleuze’s colleague, Michel Foucault, in which power operates through institutions like prisons, schools, and hospitals.
Control is more mental—a mind game, whereas discipline is more physical.
In today’s society of control, technology, media, and politics subtly shape our perceptions and behaviors. For example, social media algorithms and targeted messaging are adapted to our desires and habits, reinforcing a sense of autonomy, yet the goal remains in control.
Control and Manipulation in Political Spheres
The recent presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris illustrates how control and manipulation shape the political arena. Both candidates used fear and propaganda to manipulate voters’ emotions, positioning themselves as solutions to the crises they presented. This tactic traps voters in a psychological double bind, where fear and dependency on political leaders only intensify.
In Deleuze’s control society, power no longer relies on traditional institutions but instead flows through technologies such as social media. The constant influx of moralizing and divisive messages contributes to what psychologist Martin Seligman called “learned helplessness,” where individuals lose faith in their judgment and the power of their own actions. In a society of control, people often feel anxious and powerless, thus turning to strong leaders for guidance.
Political polarization fuels a form of collective narcissism, where groups build their identities by contrasting themselves against an opposing group, often reducing the other to stereotypical categories based on race, gender, or sexuality. Frequently, all different people are turned into enemies who only serve to illustrate “my” moral superiority.
For psychologists, the polarizing process should be a cause for concern. When individuals and groups are reduced to fixed identities, it encourages a narrow lens on human complexity, suppresses empathy, and fosters totalizing worldviews that treat others as adversaries. Psychological science itself warns of the dangers inherent in stereotyping and reductionism, as they diminish our capacity to see individuals in their full depth. In this sense, political polarization reflects a form of social and psychological control that limits dialogue and ultimately erodes collective resilience and flourishment.
Freedom and Love as Antidotes
Although Deleuze paints a grim picture of control societies, there is a path forward through awareness and critical reflection. Understanding how our thoughts are shaped by external forces can help us resist manipulation. We can regain autonomy by being critical of the information we receive and questioning underlying narratives. This requires us to experiment with new ways of thinking and acting, free from ideological constraints. For psychologists, it also means supporting clients in recognizing the power of these narratives and fostering a genuine sense of individual agency outside the comfort of blindly identifying with a group.
Psychologists play a crucial role in this process, as they can help individuals develop the skills, awareness, and courage needed to resist manipulation and experiment with alternative forms of existence.
Freedom and love remedy the insidious manipulation of a society of control. Instead of division, we—all of us—could create a culture that promotes tolerance, compassion, and mutual support—a place where people of different races, genders, sexualities, and backgrounds are encouraged to explore new ways of living and being together. A place where no one reduces (i.e., controls) their opponent to a caricature identity, as if all blacks, Latinos, and whites think, act, and live identically.
Used with permission
Source: Finn Janning
Similarly, not all heterosexual, homosexual, or LGBTQ people feel, think, act, and live identically. People are different. “I contain multitudes,” as Walt Whitman famously said.
A society rooted in love and respect, not fear, can break down these mechanisms of control and open the door to genuine caring communities. True freedom is more than being for or against; it is the ability and courage to invent, create, and live alternative, inclusive ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. It is about expanding the space for existence—for all. Sharing our vulnerability.
A path toward a more loving world involves making freedom the cornerstone of political and psychological thinking. Only free people can genuinely love.
