Line #192 Main/TheEvilsOfFreeWill


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10
11	->''"Our minds are born festering with sin. Some are so blighted, they will never find redemption. The mind must be pulled up from the roots. My children are without blame, without fault -- and without choice. For what is the value of will when the spirit is found wanting?"''
12	-->-- '''The Value of Choice''', ''{{VideoGame/BioShock Infinite}}'' voxophone
13
14	There is so much suffering in the world, so much hate, inequality, ignorance. And the cause of all this evil is nothing more than humans themselves and their pesky free will. HobbesWasRight. [[HumansAreFlawed We are selfish]], [[HumansAreBastards narcissistic]], [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters violent]], readily tread on others to better ourselves, and while [[AMillionIsAStatistic our love is selective]], our {{Greed}} knows no bounds. Not to mention the ''chaos'' of [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking everyone having different dental hygiene habits]]. When people are capable of ''willingly'' doing so much wrong, [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans isn't removing that free will, by any means available, justified?]]
15
16	The solution may include reeducation camps, a [[BigBrotherIsWatching police state, censorship]], ''concentration camps'' for those who resist the previous--the usual. If there's a MadScientist or mutant around, MassHypnosis and MindControl are also handy options to turn everyone (that's left) into obedient GullibleLemmings for the BigBad to rule. In extreme cases it will include the [[IndividualityIsIllegal destruction of individuality]] and [[AssimilationPlot the creation of]] a HiveMind.
17
18	A frequent element of UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans and a [[StockEvilOverlordTactics quintessential]] EvilPlan to TakeOverTheWorld. Frequently justified by the WellIntentionedExtremist, VisionaryVillain, or KnightTemplar as being a small sacrifice. If it means the end of conflict, a quadruplication of the standard of living, the [[NoPoverty eradication of inequality, poverty]], discrimination, hate... isn't it worth it?
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20	The typical heroic rejoinder is: "I don't want to be told what to do." [[VillainHasAPoint The hero may even agree at several points at the villain]], acknowledging that HumansAreFlawed, they are more likely to gravitate to misuse their own free will for bad deeds. But if it was the flaw that makes them ''human'', [[PatrickStewartSpeech they have to take both good and bad]]. [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech And if the villain decides to eliminate those evils, that doesn't instantly make them good... they'll just look like they lack endurance and faith towards humanity altogether, not wanting to believe the good potential of mankind no matter how small.]]
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22	Of course, the villain will [[TautologicalTemplar rarely mention]] why ''[[OriginalPositionFallacy they]]'' deserve to be at the top of this new society as the lone person remaining with free will. If they do, expect them to justify it by saying they’re [[{{Pride}} the best qualified]] to decide what's best for everyone else. Regardless, if they succeed, they will create an authoritarian {{Dystopia}} or become the HiveQueen (or King) of this new society. If, on the other hand, they are genuinely willing to become just another drone in the hive with someone (or some''[[EldritchAbomination thing]]'') else that they consider more "worthy" being in control, [[TheUnfettered be]] ''[[TheUnfettered VERY]]'' [[TheUnfettered afraid...]]
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24	If this process merges everyone into one being, see AssimilationPlot. If the villain actually succeeds in creating this world, it may become a VillainWorld and possibly a CrapsaccharineWorld and WorldOfSilence. See also HappinessIsMandatory (and its BrainwashedAndCrazy variant GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul), {{Thoughtcrime}}, DystopianEdict and StrawNihilist. Inverted trope of HelpingWouldBeKillstealing. HobbesWasRight could be used as another reason to justify this trope. Tends also to show that OrderIsNotGood.
25
26	Contrast RousseauWasRight where people are naturally good by their own free will, though if this trope does occur even in a setting like that, the villain advocating for the removal of "free will" is either a WrongGenreSavvy or firmly believes in DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans. Compare FreedomFromChoice, which is value-neutral. Compare ''and'' contrast BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood.
27
28	----
29	!!Examples:
30	[[index]]
31	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/AnimeAndManga
32	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/ComicBooks
33	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/FanWorks
34	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/{{Literature}}
35	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/LiveActionTV
36	* TheEvilsOfFreeWill/VideoGames
37	[[/index]]
38
39	[[foldercontrol]]
40
41	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
42	* In ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'', it's revealed that there are six major tribes of Trolls, each based on a different genre of music: Pop, Rock, Techno, Funk, Classical, and Country. BigBad Queen Barb, of the Rock Kingdom, genuinely believes that all of the Trolls should be united instead...the trouble is, she thinks that the different genres and freedom to choose are getting in the way of that goal. Barb thus plans to destroy all other music so that only Rock will exist, turning every single Troll into a "rock zombie" with no free will.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
46	* The entire premise of ''Film/TheAdjustmentBureau'' revolves around this, with a mysterious organization of supernatural beings manipulating human history in minor ways (making someone miss a bus, or lose their keys, ect.) ForTheGreaterGood. Unlike most example, however, they're presented as a [[AntiVillain genuinely benevolent group]], albeit staffed by a few [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]]. According to one agent, they ''did'' stop interfering in history, twice. The first time resulted in the Dark Ages, the second in two World Wars, the Holocaust, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. That said, [[spoiler:at the end of the film, [[{{God}} The Chairman]] decides to let the main characters make their own choices rather than following The Plan]].
47	* This seems to be part of Loki's plan in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', though it's more or less rhetoric that he uses to justify his own selfish ambitions.
48	* The primary objective of [[spoiler:HYDRA]] in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' is to force the world to ''reject'' free will by worrying them into giving it up for safety. [[spoiler:To achieve this objective, they corrupted SHIELD from within and used its resources to shape the world into the era of paranoia it is today.]]
49	* In the {{Mockumentary}}, ''[[Film/CSATheConfederateStatesOfAmerica The C.S.A.]]'', its stated that runaway slaves suffer from the mental malady of ''drapetomania'', the "freedom illness", in which the afflicted believe that they don't want to be slaves. The Cartwright Institute for the Study of Freedom Illness promises its pupils to be qualified in a few months to treat ''drapetomania'', "rascality," and other "Negro peculiarities". The medicine contrari is marketed to slave owners to as a way to treat ''drapetomania'', though [[MayContainEvil it may actually just drug the victims]] into [[HappinessInSlavery mindless compliance]]. The final [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer montage at the end of the film]] shows that Dr. Cartwright was an actual person who did cook up ''drapetomania'' as another reason to justify slavery.
50	* In ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety'', Keating has the students start to walk at their own pace, which turns into a military march with Keating counting off the cadence. When Dean Nolan asks what Keating was doing, Keating says that it was an exercise to prove the evils of conformity, with Nolan reiterating that Welton's curriculum is tried and true, maintaining that the boys are too young to learn how to think for themselves:
51	-->'''Keating''': I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.\
52	'''Nolan''': At these boys' age? Not on your life!
53	* Though a paradise with no crime and high living standards, ''Film/DemolitionMan'' has the [[PoliticalOvercorrectness ultra-PC]] [[CrapsaccharineWorld San Angeles]], where everything that isn't good for you, including the traditional method of sex, is illegal. [[BigBad Simon Phoenix]] put it best to the new society's founder [[AffablyEvil Raymond Cocteau]]: "You're an evil Mister Rogers."
54	* ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}'' fits this like a Tetragrammaton Cleric's tailored glove. The anti-emotion DystopianEdict that powers the state of Libria can be boiled down to this trope. Of course, there's no more envy, hate, or war, but humans are just automatons and state-sanctioned murder of thought-criminals is endemic.
55	* The BigBad in ''Film/TheFaculty'' gives a speech during the climax telling Casey that he could live in a world in which he's no longer bullied, there are no more [[PopularityFoodChain cliques]], and he and all of his classmates get along with each other in perfect harmony... if he surrenders and lets the PuppeteerParasite take him.
56	* ''Film/Fahrenheit4512018'': Beatty tells Montag people are just upset by the ideas that most books contain, especially philosophical ones, since they give conflicting opinions. His solution? One opinion. Better yet, none. Ironically, he uses the debate on free will as an example of one with such upsetting opinions.
57	* The basis of the Community's philosophy in ''Film/TheGiver'', which the Chief Elder makes clear near the ending.
58	-->'''Chief Elder''': When people have the power to choose, they choose ''wrong.'' Every single time.
59	* ''Film/TheInvasion'': This is {{discussed}} in the film, and actually implied to be true. After the aliens take over, they don't actually do anything bad (aside from the control itself, or lessened emotions), but created world peace and universal healthcare. The cure restores things to normal (i.e. all that goes away), and the film leaves it open whether this is really good.
60	* ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' trilogy is either a subversion or inversion. The Architect, when he designed the Matrix following the Machine victory in the RobotWar, did everything in his power to create a [[{{Utopia}} perfect fantasy world]] where every human would be happy, but the program failed because people didn't accept it. So did a second version which brought [[{{Dystopia}} endless suffering]] instead. The Oracle realized that humans were hard-wired to desire choice instead of either happiness or hardship, which simply couldn't be eradicated from the program to work.
61	* ''Film/Serenity2005'' has The Alliance, or at least River Tam's interpretation of them, state "We're not telling people what to think. We're just trying to teach them how."
62	* This is the antagonist's position in ''Film/TheWorldsEnd''. They attempt their takeover through seemingly benevolent means, trying to keep the "Blanks" needed to a minimum while they teach and/or bring humanity to the "right" way, and have been doing so for decades; this being a dark comedy, they fail (or at least rationalize (until the heroes point it out)) that their "minimal" need, in one town alone, resulted in only four to six residents (of at least several thousand) ''not'' turned into Blanks.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Music]]
66	* Featured at the end of Music/BreakingBenjamin's [[MusicAndMusicVideos offical music video]] for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beKJhyTh4uI "Dance With the Devil"]]. The Devil, in the form of an old man (priest?), quotes Creator/JohnMilton's ''Literature/ParadiseLost'':
67	** "Free will; it is a bitch."
68	* Devo's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVGINIsLnqU&ob=av2e "Freedom of Choice"]] from Music/FreedomOfChoice.
69	-->''Freedom of choice is what you got, FreedomFromChoice is what you want.''
70	* Music/NickCave's song "O' Malley's Bar" from ''Music/MurderBallads'' is about a murderer who justifies his crimes by the fact that he has no free will.
71	-->''I blew a hole in Mrs. Richard Holmes''\
72	''And her husband stupidly stood up''\
73	''As he screamed, "You are an evil man"''\
74	''And I paused a while to wonder''\
75	''"If I have no free will then how can I''\
76	''Be morally culpable, I wonder"''
77	* Music/APerfectCircle's "Pet" (and its alternative version, "Counting The Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums"):
78	-->Safe from pain, and truth, and choice, and other poison devils...
79	* The Music/{{Vocaloid}} song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_JYONe4kQ "Creative"]] is a tribute to ''WebVideo/DontHugMeImScared'' and features lyrics that sum up this trope quite perfectly:
80	-->"Stop all of your thinking\
81	And start listening to me!\
82	Trust me, you'll be set free\
83	With that, we'll think creatively!\
84	The TV is truly God\
85	Don't question me, it's not odd!\
86	Quit complaining, listen to your heart!\
87	''It was WRONG from the start!''"
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Radio]]
91	* ''Radio/JourneyIntoSpace'': In ''The World in Peril'', the conditioned Harding tells Jet that it is in Earth's interest to be conquered as all of humanity's societal problems will cease to exist when choice is removed from the equation. The Martian similarly argues that humans are inherently destructive and that conditioning them ''en masse'' will be beneficial.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Religion]]
95	* The [[UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}} LDS Church]] believes that [[{{Satan}} Lucifer]] planned to do this. While Jesus offered himself as an atoning sacrifice to allow those who sinned to be resurrected and have a chance of returning to Heavenly Father, Lucifer offered to ensure that ''everybody'' would get back to heaven in return for all of the power and glory. He planned to do this by taking away people's free will and prevent them from being able to sin. When his plan was rejected he and his supporters refused to back down and after the War in Heaven, were banished to the outer darkness, where they continue to try and upset the Plan of Salvation.
96
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
100	* Bromion, a [[EldritchAbomination Lord of Order]] present in the official ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' setting, wants to destroy all life on earth because it is confusing and messy and most importantly ''chaotic''.
101	* In ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' this is the motivation of She Who Lives In Her Name, the Principle of Hierarchy: to eradicate free will and everything else in the world that has no place in her ideal hierarchy. After their defeat and imprisonment, the other Yozis seem to be developing tendencies in this direction as well. The main exceptions are Isidoros, who as an incarnation of strength has to understand self-interest; the Ebon Dragon, who finds it [[ForTheEvulz more satisfying to shaft and corrupt people if they fall of their own will]]; and Malfeas, [[ItsAllAboutMe who has trouble grasping that people have it to begin with]].
102	* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'': The Seers of the Throne have strains of this. Their goal is to keep [[{{Muggles}} the Sleepers]] from Awakening if they won't throw their lot in with their divine masters, the Exarchs... whose very goal in ascending was to make sure that magic was theirs and theirs alone. As they realise examination of [[CrapsackWorld the Fallen World]] can lead to revelations of the Supernal, and thus Awakening, they strive to make sure that humans don't question their lot in existence. Popular methods involve [[ScienceIsBad encouraging anti-scientific attitudes]], [[TheFundamentalist encouraging highly dogmatic religious thought]], and [[BigBrotherIsWatching spreading enough paranoia to keep the Sleepers on their toes]].
103	* This is a very common trope for villainous White in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering''.
104	** All the partially-white guilds in Ravnica (except the Boros, who are a combination of White and Red, the colour of passion and free will) have their own view on this: The Selesnya have a HiveMind that [[AssimilationPlot assimilates people]], the Orzhov [[PathOfInspiration removes its adherents' free will for the benefit of their leaders]], and the Azorius [[ObstructiveBureaucrat want the rule of Law to dictate how people act]].
105	** The white part of New Phyrexia, the Machine Orthodoxy, is devoted to absolute unity. One sect within the Orthodoxy takes it even further and wishes to combine all life not only in mind, but also in ''flesh''. Some white Phyrexians [[EvilCannotComprehendGood even have trouble comprehending the idea of independent thought]].
106	* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' has this as part of the setting's backstory. The first gods to be born were twin brothers, the ChaoticGood [[{{God}} Ihys]] and the LawfulEvil [[{{Satan}} Asmodeus]]. They and the gods that followed created mortal life so that they would have servants and worshipers, but Ihys decided to give them free will as well. This horrified Asmodeus, who believed in obedience above all else, and he showed Ihys the destruction that the mortals had caused, causing Ihys a brief MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment. [[NeutralGood Sarenrae]], on the other hand, showed him that mortals were also capable of goodness and beauty, and he stood by his decision. A war between the gods resulted, and ended with the first ever act of treachery, when Asmodeus offered his hand in peace to Ihys, but murdered him with a spear when it was accepted. Sarenrae attacked him, and Asmodeus ran off with his tail between his legs, taking his followers to Hell.
107	* The Melissidae bloodline in ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'' owes its creation to a Ventrue being impressed by a woman who believed this so strongly she tried to gather a cult in an attempt to form a human HiveMind. The resultant vampires still believe it. The setting is ''not'' sympathetic to this ideology in the slightest, outright calling it a "perversion of humanity" even before an undead abomination is left as the [[HiveQueen sole driving will of the hive]].
108	* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': The last goal of the Necrons is to cut away the connection between the Warp and realspace. While this would prevent the Chaos Gods and the daemons from interacting with the mortal world, it would also prevent interstellar travel and communication, and destroy the souls of all sentient beings, depriving them of their free will and turning them to cattle for the Necrons' C'tan stargods.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
112	* '' VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'': The King of the Holiday Star rules it as a combination of this and an AssimilationPlot. He talks about it as if it's this trope, and when a newcomer arrives and before they inevitably upset him by wanting to leave or disagreeing, it might be.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Web Comics]]
116	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'':
117	** PlayedForLaughs. Klaus [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061101 should have known]] what sort of answer he will get from ''[[PsychoForHire DuPree]]''.
118	** On a more serious note, this appears to be Lucrezia's belief. She claims (key word: ''[[ConsummateLiar claims]]'') to want peace, but every other method has failed, so she's resorting to mind control. She promises that if Klaus joins with her, they can try his way first (which is all about loyalty and the greater good [[MightMakesRight backed by overwhelming force]]), but she fails to mention that the primary reason his way ''didn't'' work is because she was mind-controlling everyone into fighting him.
119	* The Legion from ''Webcomic/MSFHigh'' play with this trope. The Legion war ended specifically because the Legion realised they disagreed with this concept, but seemed to be using it.
120	* In ''Webcomic/PlanescapeSurvivalGuide'', the original conflict of the creator gods stems from the argument of allowing free will into the "perfect", ordered Multiverse.
121	* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' works with this concept via [[spoiler:nigh-omnipotent ship AI Petey]]. On the one hand, he's running around grabbing up villain groups and conscripting them into positions trying to help out innocents and stop bigger villains (kinda reminiscent of ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat''). On the other hand, he points out that he wants to preserve free will, and in service to that ideal is refusing to take certain steps that would be more efficient than his current methods. He even talks this over with the strip's resident moralist, Theo Fobius.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Web Video]]
125	* This is the view of [[spoiler: Doctor Litchfield]] in ''WebVideo/UnwantedHouseguest''.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Western Animation]]
129	* Megatron the Predacon came to a rather similar conclusion somewhere between the end of ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' and the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines''.
130	* ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'': Lucifer gifted humanity free will and inadvertently allowed evil to creep into the world as a result. He's suitably depressed about how many people abuse his gift to sin.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/MegaManFullyCharged'': Hypno Woman was originally a guidance counselor at the local school until she became overwhelmed by trying to solve everyone's problems. Then she decide the only viable solution was [[GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul hypnotizing everyone to being absolutely happy all the time]] and stop them from thinking ever again.
132	* In ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', [[HiveMind Unity]] defends her enslavement of a planet by saying that it was torn apart by war and she's made productive citizens out of everyone. After getting a glimpse of what the planet is like without her influence Summer, who had been expecting free will to involve choices like "picking a phone plan" rather than the re-ignition of a brutal race war based on nipple shape, concludes that Unity is great and her grandfather is a terrible influence on her (making her lose control of people or use them to fulfill his ridiculous sexual fantasies).
133	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "Treehouse of Horror" story "Time and Punishment", the first alternate timeline Homer arrives in has ''Ned Flanders'' ruling the world like this. Those who resist are taken for [[NightmareFuel "Re-Neducation"]].
134	-->'''Flanders:''' Now, in case all that smiling didn't cheer you up, there's one thing that never fails: a nice glass of warm milk, a little nap -- [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and a total frontal lobotomy!]]
135	* ''WesternAnimation/StretchArmstrongAndTheFlexFighters'': The ultimate goal of the villainous Tech Men is to make Charter City more peaceful by brainwashing the entire populace.
136	* [[Characters/StevenUniverseWhiteDiamond White Diamond]] from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' believes herself to be the perfect being, and thus when she uses her assimilating EyeBeams on a gem, turning them into literal extensions of herself, she believes she is doing them a service by removing their flaws.
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	----
140	[[EvilOverlord Our Glorious Leader]] wishes you to enjoy and enhance this page of your own free will. Or Else.

Context Main / TheEvilsOfFreeWill