“Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will” a book written by an American neuroendocrinology researcher Robert Sapolsky argues human behavior is dictated by prior events, leaving no room for free will1. He states that how we act is simply a byproduct of our biology, environment and experiences. The idea is frightening, to say we have no personal autonomy, but the deeper you dive the more compelling it becomes. It forces us to confront the question, how much of the actions and decisions we make are truly ours?
In a fast-paced society like Hong Kong where we are hot with information every second, from the notifications on our phone to the towering and bright billboards scattered across the city. Making decisions is not easy, and tracking all the variables that go into making a choice puts a strain on the brain and causes it to tire out by the end of the day. During times like these, you start to coast on autopilot and exercise less control over the decisions you make. However this is no fault of yours. In fact, this is actually a mechanism of the brain. The noggin relies on cognitive shortcuts known as heuristics to make rapid choices without draining mental energy and preventing decision fatigue at the end of the day2,3. It is no wonder that by day's end when we are tired we go for the option that is the easiest and safest.
Nonetheless, this energy-saving mode becomes problematic when modern algorithms actively exploit the mechanism used for survival through certain tactics such as subliminal messaging4. They nudge us into buying things we dont need or changing our values. Especially today in an age dominated by artificial intelligence, it is important that we think for ourselves and do not offload our cognition to a machine5.
Ultimately, it is impossible to make every decision count, you only have so much brain power…however, that doesn’t mean you cannot regain control of your life. By turning positive habits into second nature that require zero brainpower over time, you can conserve your cognitive reserves for meaningful decisions and work6. This will allow you to align your life with your own core beliefs instead of corporate algorithms.
Take back your control one step at a time, it's never too late.
References
1Sapolsky, R. M. (2023). Determined: A science of life without free will. Penguin Press.
2Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124–1131. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124
3Polman, E., & Vohs, K. D. (2016). Decision fatigue, choosing for others, and self-construal. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7(5), 471–478. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550616639648
4Frontiers in Psychology. (2026). Algorithmic seduction: Ethical boundaries in AI-powered consumer nudging. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, Article 1675412.
5Britten-Neish, G. (2025). Cognitive offloading and the causal structure of human action. Synthese, 205(47), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-024-04887-3
6Wood, W., & Neal, D. T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit-goal interface. Psychological Review, 114(4), 843–863. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843
