When you are programmed to believe a certain thing. (with both a carrot and a stick approach; stroking that ego and if you don't step in line you will be excommunicated from college, the group...)
And you don't have quite enough IQ to easily see that you've been put into a box
It must be the most horrifying situation.
All you can be is tax cattle.
You might feel that you are being herded, but you can't see the cattle prods, or the electric fence.
But hey, look, that new hand bag is sooooo shiney.