This is one of the five most important keys on your keyboard. The others being Escape, (control), Alt, Meta, and Shift. That's what emacs stands for, you know.

Many of our religious, spiritual, philosophical, economic, gender, ethnic and overal social issues often have to concept of control at their centers. People who don't believe in God mention at some point that they don't like the concept that someone besides themselves is in charge over them. I find this amusing, since we are all willfully and otherwise controlled by other things that we don't even realize or acknowledge. In addition, when discussing the concept of creation, if someone refutes that God created everything and that there was a fall from grace on man's part, there is little explanation for the evils that exist in the world as being a result of social and biological evolution, that somehow a random string of unconnected mishaps is enough to placate a mind that attempts to conceptualize infinity, science, and technology.

So often, we want to think that we are not being controlled, that we are autonomous. And I'd say that could be possible as long as one did not love, or allow himself to be loved, by another human being or even a small animal like a dog or cat. If love itself is not an element of control, in a good way. Love and respect, among others, are things that keep us under control, and allow us to get out of control, so to speak.

Control has no absolute. Some control is good; other forms of control are bad. Some deserve submission and others defiance. Some would say that strength means being the one in control, but I would say that the strength most accessible to people is that which comes from a knowledge of who has control over them and how to react to it.

When I have mentioned the book Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television to people, I also say this: I have not cut TV completely out of my diet, but I feel better knowing for certain that I'm being manipulated, and that I've accepted that. We are accountable for what we know and also what we choose not to know; our ignorance will not save us when it comes to control.

I have been told that most of the anxiety in society stems from feelings of helplessness, of having no control over one's life or future. Religion often seeks to present a possible foundation on which humans can build assurance that someone is in control if they cannot be. I'm not saying that this is wrong in itself, but I am saying that whatever you use to establish such an important system in your life, you should do your homework, you should know what it is you believe and be prepared to defend it if and when it comes into question.

In short, get over it. You are never going to live one day of your short life outside the realm of something else's control. Stop thinking you are the center of the world; you're not. Realizing this is not admitting inferiority, it's being realistic and sensible. Considering the varieties of humans I come into contact with, I sure as hell would sleep a little less soundly at night if I believed that any one of us putzes was in control of anything but our own bowels. In my mind, the world is simply too vast, complicated, and ever-changing for us to be in charge of it.

Control is the ability to manipulate a person or thing though any means. I could control the microwave oven by utilizing its touch sensitive buttons, or I could control my dog by telling him to "Sit!"

There are many ways in which one person may have control over another. A child's parents may enforce rules upon the kid by applying punishment if he does not comply. Supposodly, a hypnotist can gain control over a person through hypnotism. I have learned to control people with strings. These strings are metaphors for puppet strings, with which a puppet master controls the elements of a show.

I have found ways to psychologically attach these manipulative strings to people, and pull them to cause the person to act in a way desired by myself.

I am of the belief that these strings exist naturally in society, and are subconsciously used by everyone. I think many politicians have discovered these strings and uses them to their adavantage.

Is having control over another person through subtle means immoral?

In experimentation, 'control' can be used as a noun meaning either the group which is not manipulated by the experimenter, or a measure taken to prevent confounds (or counfounding variables) from influencing the results. Example: "The experimental group took the drug we're testing, while the control group was treated exactly the same way, except that the pill they were given contained no active ingredient."

Also a verb meaning to take such measures. Example: "We thought that age of the subjects might introduce a confound, so we controlled for that by selecting only subjects born in May of 1944."

Con*trol" (?), n. [F. controle a counter register, contr. fr. contr- role; contre (L. contra) + role roll, catalogue. See Counter and Roll, and cf. Counterroll.]

1.

A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register. [Obs.] Johnson.

2.

That which serves to check, restrain, or hinder; restraint. "Speak without control." Dryden.

3.

Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control.

The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration.
Macaulay.

Board of control. See under Board.

 

© Webster 1913


Con*trol", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Controlled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Controlling.] [F. controler, fr. controle.] [Formerly written comptrol and controul.]

1.

To check by a counter register or duplicate account; to prove by counter statements; to confute. [Obs.]

This report was controlled to be false.
Fuller.

2.

To exercise restraining or governing influence over; to check; to counteract; to restrain; to regulate; to govern; to overpower.

Give me a staff of honor for mine age,
But not a scepter to control the world.
Shak.

I feel my virtue struggling in my soul:
But stronger passion does its power control.
Dryden.

Syn. -- To restrain; rule; govern; manage; guide; regulate; hinder; direct; check; curb; counteract; subdue.

 

© Webster 1913


Con*trol", n.

1. (Mach.)

The complete apparatus used to control a mechanism or machine in operation, as a flying machine in flight; specifically (Aëronautics),

the mechanism controlling the rudders and ailerons.

2. (Climatology)

Any of the physical factors determining the climate of any particular place, as latitude,distribution of land and water, altitude, exposure, prevailing winds, permanent high- or low-barometric-pressure areas, ocean currents, mountain barriers, soil, and vegetation.

 

© Webster 1913

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