The Cost of "McFreedom"

What Our Minds Are Losing

Photo illustration of ICE agents outside of Dodger Stadium in L.A. 6/19/25 (original possibly by Myung J. Chun/AP)

Something profoundly unsettling is happening to the idea of patriotic freedom in the U.S. It’s a subtle, insidious shift that, for many of us, feels like a constant, low hum of anxiety in the background of our lives like an old refrigerator on its last legs. We’re seeing roving bands of masked paramilitary agents, secret police, popping out of SUVs and military troops being activated, though not talking about tanks in the streets (yet, though there have been rumors). Something far more insidious is happening: a kind of soulless “McFreedom,” where the very concept of liberty is being “scaled up” and franchised like a hot new fast-food chain. We now live in a “McFreedom” where due process isn’t on the value menu of American “justice for all.”

What we’re seeing are more like shady corporate transactions rather than authentic human relationships. Imagine democracy, not as a messy, vibrant, evolving process of genuine self-governance, but as a standardized commodified cookie-cutter product of AI algorithms. It looks like freedom on the outside – we still vote, most of us still have “rights” – but increasingly, it feels mass-produced, diluted, and devoid of wholesome authentic substance. It’s a deep fried freedom burger: quick, convenient, and ultimately unfulfilling, designed for efficiency, mass consumption, and critically, for the accumulation of capital, rather than the rich flourishing of human dignity. Real food isn’t on the menu— unless of course you’re privileged. It’s a kind of government under Limbic Capitalism shaping us.

And this “McFreedom” is costing us dearly, not just in terms of our civic health, but our mental health.

The primary focus on immigration offers a stark example. Millions on one political extreme seem content to minimize due process and habeas corpus civil rights for anyone seeking a better life here, regardless of their documentation. We’re seeing ICE paramilitary groups, sanctioned under the Department of Homeland Security, orchestrate warrantless arrests that deftly bypass fundamental legal protections like a cheap magician’s trick, sending individuals to uncertain fates abroad—even in defiance of mixed Supreme Court rulings upholding due process for some (with access to legal aid) yet allowing other deportations to the third world. How is ICE getting away with these Gestapo-like tactics? The chilling reports of judges and senators arrested merely for trying to assist immigrants, and even politicians assassinated, reveal a terrifying erosion of the rule of law. This isn’t just political debate; it's the state’s agents wielding power essentially unchecked by courts, echoing the secret police (NKVD, KGB, Stasi, Gestapo) tactics of authoritarian regimes. Meanwhile, constant, right-leaning propaganda floods our social media, normalizing dehumanizing behavior what should be deeply alarming. This is not normal. We’ve entered into authoritarianism.

What does living under this “scaled-up McFreedom” feel like?

1. The Constant Drone of Dehumanizing Anxiety & Hypervigilance: When basic rights can be arbitrarily dismissed for some, the unspoken question for everyone else is, “Who's next?” This creates a pervasive sense of uncertainty. We become hyper-alert, scrolling through news feeds, scanning for the next capricious policy shift, the next group to be demonized and targeted. First it’s undocumented immigrants, then it’s foreign students expressing dissenting opinions, then it’s anyone looking suspicious expressing a contrary opinion and threatening to revoke citizenship. This chronic state of low-grade fear is exhausting. It disrupts sleep, frays nerves, and keeps our bodies in a perpetual “fight or flight” mode, driving up anxiety and stress levels. It undermines solid coherent reasoning. There are endless studies showing us that the long-term consequences are deeply concerning for mortality rates.

2. Eroding Trust, Spreading Suspicion: When the very systems meant to protect us—our legal framework, due process—are seen to be bypassed or manipulated, trust dissolves. We start to distrust not just institutions, but each other. We become incapable of basic trust. The relentless “us vs. them” mindsets, particularly around immigrants, sow suspicion and animosity. Like an angry teenager without friends, it becomes harder and harder to connect authentically, to find common ground, or even to feel safe expressing a full range of opinions, creating social isolation and loneliness. When we internalize the dehumanization of “the other,” it also takes a subtle toll on our own empathy and humanity. We become an unwelcoming “othering” country where nobody truly belongs. Quite the opposite of what we once aspired to be.

3. The Shadow of Unseen Control: Beyond overt policy, the pervasive influence of massive corporate entities, driven by the relentless pursuit of capital, shapes our reality. Think of surveillance capitalism, where our every click and interaction is recorded and monetized, creating an invisible web of data that can be used in algorithms to nudge, influence, or even control behavior. This subtle, profit-driven control contributes to a feeling of being constantly watched, of having our privacy vanish, leading to a chilling effect on genuine self-expression and spontaneity. It’s hard to feel truly free when you're always aware of the “invisible hand” guiding your micro-managed choices, like a supervisor always looking over your shoulder.

4. Learned Helplessness & Apathy: When foundational principles crumble and appeals to justice go unheeded, a growing sense of powerlessness can develop. What’s the point of fighting if the system seems rigged? A “learned helplessness” can lead to apathy, a quiet resignation that drains our motivation to engage, to speak out, or to believe even in the possibility of change. This, tragically, only serves to further entrench the very forces eroding our liberties. We are trapped in McFreedom like a dead-end minimum wage fast food job under poor management.

5. A Crisis of Authenticity: Living in this state of “fake freedom” forces an uncomfortable internal conflict. We want to believe in the humanitarian ideals our nation professes, but we are confronted daily with contradictory evidence. This cognitive dissonance can lead to a profound sense of psychological inauthenticity. We may feel compelled to self-censor, to hide authentic thoughts, or to deny what we see, just to cope. To mask. At the same time we may desperately seek external validation from friends and neighbors. This suppression of our authentic selves is a significant burden on our mental well-being.

The risks are clear. If we continue to allow our democracy to be “scaled up” into a soulless “McFreedom,” we risk not only losing our foundational rights but also succumbing to a collective mental health crisis rooted in fear, distrust, powerlessness, and a profound sense of unreality as if we are living in a David Lynch film or Cormac McCarthy novel.

Recognizing these psychological impacts is only a first step. It’s about raising awareness that what’s happening isn’t just politics; it’s deeply personal. It’s affecting our ability to feel safe, to trust, to hope, and to thrive as human beings. Understanding the cost is crucial if we are to reclaim the authentic freedom that truly nourishes and enriches the human spirit and our basic mental health.

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