The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Marxist and is narrated by Brock Armstrong.

Self-control, the ultimate exercise of freedom.

I'll admit, I've come to significantly edit my environment over the

years. I work largely from home and have my favorite haunts and destinations as well as a close

circle of like-minded family and friends. The nature of my work automatically puts me in touch

mostly with those who have similar goals and lifestyles.

Even my media is customized, which is easy to do these days with the way we're tracked by bots.

I never watch television or listen to the radio that has commercials.

Without thinking about it that much, my environment is, for the

most part, very primally oriented. When I'm out and about, however, it can feel a little like

culture shock. A few weeks ago, I went to a movie and made the mistake, an actual accident,

of getting there early.

I was one of the few without tubs, packages, and cups in hand, and I watched as ads for soda

and candy flashed again and again.

In my boredom, I noticed a curious pattern.

Every time there was a shot of cola flowing, everyone with a soda drank.

Every time there was an image of a person eating, everyone with food ate.

The themes of joy, celebration, and indulgence were all the same,

and one soda ad actually stated, choose happiness.

It's speculation, of course, but I wonder how many of these people felt emotional

affirmation around their choice to buy all the junk food they did. In a culture that worships and

markets to impulse, self-control has all the appeal of a soggy blanket. We see discipline as an imposition

...