The topic of free will has been a popular one throughout the ages in many spiritual and academic circles. While some argue its presence and significance, others its absence and illusion. But what if they are both right and it just depends on the context in which we see and understand free will? As most often is the case, the truth is somewhere in the middle and this is eloquently demonstrated in the book Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will by Eldon Taylor, Ph.D., which will be examined in the following review.
There is no doubt that we are living in very precarious times, with more challenges looming over us than, perhaps, ever before. From political and economic instability to health and environmental degradation, something is terribly off. In the midst of it all, freedoms are being restricted, options to act are being limited, and the quality of life continues to degrade for too many. Yet at this time, when we should be motivated to act more so than ever, the unfortunate reality is that most humans are attempting to carry on with “business as usual” more so than ever! What could possibly be at the root of such a high degree of inaction and apathy in response to these pervasive challenges and unreasonable circumstances? It is as if we were unable to see clearly or think consciously about our present-day predicament, which encapsulates us in a certain lifestyle of enslavement and servitude. And this brings us to the very root of the issue.
In his new book Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will, author Eldon Taylor provides an exposé and overview of modern-day challenges, their origins, and motives, to teach the reader how their very mind is being hijacked to participate in a particular agenda. Although unpleasant and difficult to digest at times, this work is amidst some of the most pivotal resources for our times to help us wake up and begin working towards our very own liberation. And it all has to do with our mind; both the problems and solutions are contained within the confines of our mind and whether we contribute to the former or the latter depends on who controls our mind.
A gotcha comes when you do what you think is best because they have taught you the way to think.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
About the Author
Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will is written by Eldon Taylor, PhD., who has made a life-long study of the human mind and has earned doctoral distinctions in psychology and hypnotherapy. He is a certified psychotherapist and Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association (APA) and a certified hypnotherapist with the American Guild of Hypnotherapists. At present, he is the President and Director of Progressive Awareness Research, Inc.
Eldon invented and patented the InnerTalk technology and has been called a “master of the mind”. His books and audio/video materials have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have sold millions worldwide. Eldon is also the host of the popular radio show, Provocative Enlightenment. For more information about Dr. Eldon Taylor and his work, visit: dreldontaylor.com
Summary of the Content of Gotcha!
Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will is available in both paperback and Kindle format, offering over 400 pages of content. The book features an introductory section and 28 chapters, which are as follows:
- Chapter 1 — Hypothesis: Smiling Masks
- Chapter 2 — Basic Protections
- Chapter 3 — They Start with Our Children
- Chapter 4 — Behaviorism
- Chapter 5 — Curtailing Freedom
- Chapter 6 — Giving Our Rights Away
- Chapter 7 — Propaganda: From the Beginning
- Chapter 8 — Indoctrination via the Media
- Chapter 9 — Physiology/Psychology
- Chapter 10 — Pushing the Boundaries
- Chapter 11 — Information Processing
- Chapter 12 — Some of What “They” Have Learned
- Chapter 13 — Pulling on Our Emotions
- Chapter 14 — The Power of Suggestion
- Chapter 15 – Attention
- Chapter 16 — Conditioning
- Chapter 17 — Perception
- Chapter 18 — Political Strategies
- Chapter 19 — Physical Control
- Chapter 20 — Mind Control
- Chapter 21 — Data Mining
- Chapter 22 — Who Are They Protecting?
- Chapter 23 — What’s a Gotcha?
- Chapter 24 — A Little History Continued: Public Relations
- Chapter 25 — The Human Vehicle: What “They” Know and Why Propaganda Works
- Chapter 26 — Scandals
- Chapter 27 — What to Do if You Want to Subvert the System
- Chapter 28 — “Now What?”
Personal Remarks About Gotcha!
Having a deep personal and professional passion for working with the potential of the mind, as well as a keen interest in the state of things on our planet today, I was very much looking forward to reading this book and very glad I did. Unlike most books that I would specifically seek out, this is not your typical “expand the mind - feel good” type of book. Instead, this is a book that asks us to look at the very fabric of our society and allow ourselves to clearly see all of its flaws and how we have accepted to cloak ourselves in something that is so unnaturally confining and restrictive to the nature of our being.
What you choose to believe is often like the language you speak, in that you acquire it by way of parents, peers, and culture.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
When it comes to the topics this book covers, although you can get a good idea of general themes from the table of contents shared above, the specific topics touch upon really everything! The reader truly gets a cornucopia of all that impacts us today within the lives we lead, such as health, nutrition, and food, including GMOs, toxins, and vaccines; EMF technology and radiation; PSYOPs and military cover-ups; debt, taxes, and banking practices; child manipulation and education; media and entertainment; war, defense, and terrorism; politics, elections, and government practices; culture, consumerism, and economy; and the many levels of fear, mind control, and manipulation. The author truly aims to touch upon all topics to show how everything is interconnected when it comes to both the problems and the solutions. By only using a selection of all the possible examples out there, he provides the reader with a type of “crash course”, but one that offers a thorough-enough understanding of the huge and obvious implications of all these areas. As we start to connect the dots, we begin to see a big and troubling picture take shape.
We the people, by and large, are victims of our own ignorance of our own perceptual failings.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
Having been familiar with most of the content that this book covers, I was able to remain pretty neutral throughout the entire reading of this book. However, those who are new to some, most, or all of this information should expect a wide-ranging experience of emotions and opinions that make them question their entire life’s purpose and framework. Every thought, perspective, opinion, and belief that you currently hold has a high likelihood of not being your own. Yes, this may leave us confused, distraught, or outright angry, and it should, because until you realize how easy it is for your mind to be manipulated, you remain the puppet of someone else’s game. It is one thing to consent to something knowingly, and quite another to consent to something via manipulations of the mind. This the author calls engineered consent and it is the commonplace practice that is being actively employed by persons and organizations interested in making sure that you conform to certain beliefs and actions.
You are simply hardwired in ways that you cannot escape and seldom understand, as well as programmed with biases and attitudes that often fail to serve truth.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
This is not what we want to hear, I know. However, unless and until we allow ourselves to see that, we remain locked within the abyss of naive ignorance, thinking that we think, speak, and act based on what we think we want or need, rather than based on what someone else has conditioned us into. The author, however, offers example upon example, ample research and studies, and accounts that uncover and explain piece-by-piece how our mind, and thus our choices are molded and fashioned to fit a certain agenda. The good news is that there is a solution and it lies in taking back your mind. This is where the author provides a highly empowering and motivating final two chapters to mobilize us into action, for our personal wellbeing, and that of all of our future generations. And the root of the solution rests in our ability to become self-reliant and mindful. The more self-reliant and mindful we become, the more we overturn the dysfunctional and corrupt system that we have allowed to exist in the first place.
The more we depend upon an entity for all things, the less individual sovereignty remains and the easier it is to be controlled by outside forces.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
The intended audience for this book is really anyone who is alive on planet Earth today and seeks a free mind. But it will be of special relevance for anyone who has any interest in understanding how and why their mind is being used today, or anyone who wishes to improve the quality of their life experience or anyone who has a desire to know the workings of our modern world. The book is mainly targeted for the audience of the United States, but even though most of the author’s examples specifically pertain to the workings of the US, it can offer a valuable read for anyone, living anywhere in the world to become more educated and aware of the issues that impact all of us on this planet today, whether directly or indirectly.
Ultimately, whether you enjoy the author’s choice of examples, or tone, or style of writing, the core message remains: we must take back our minds if we are to live effectively and live fully as the liberated human beings we are meant to be. We have allowed fear, for example, to take over our lives so incredulously that it governs the very essence of nearly everything that we think, say, and do today, and have allowed ourselves to have done to us. Fear is what created the monster in the room, and in order to overcome the many problems and enslavements that we have today, it is not about getting rid of the monster, but about getting rid of the fear.
If we are to awaken, we must become informed. If we become informed, we are called upon by duty owed to our very life purpose to act in ways that promote freedom and hope for all.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will
Although some may choose to see this as a work that borders on the edge of some “conspiracy theory”, as the author explains, there are many defenses our mind will use to try to negate the unpleasant truth of what may be right before our eyes. However, for anyone who has chosen the path of liberation, self-realization, and self-actualization, this will no longer seem so. Rather it simply presents how very off-track we have gotten as a human race and how much dysfunction we have allowed to penetrate our culture, either by sitting back or participating in it ourselves. This is no time for blame, however, or any finger-pointing for this only continues to keep us stuck and disempowered. What is done is done, the question now is simply: what will we do now — what will YOU do now?
Question everything you think and follow it back to the origin of that belief.
Eldon Taylor, PhD. — Gotcha!: The Subordination of Free Will