Brilliantly written and very thought provoking...for anyone seeking to expand their world of consciousness.
This is one of those rare books where the tone matters as much as the ideas.
What struck me first was Laura Tidwell’s approach. She doesn’t argue, persuade, or perform. She observes. The writing has the same quality as her videos: composed, unhurried, confident without insistence. The ideas feel lived in and integrated rather than constructed to convince. That alone builds trust.
Conceptually, the book is clear and rigorous, but what surprised me most was its emotional effect. Structural Determinism is often assumed to be bleak or diminishing. I found the opposite. The model stripped away some long-held myths about control and free will, but what remained felt cleaner, more honest, and oddly liberating.
Instead of reducing human experience, the framework widened it. Seeing human cognition described as layered, constrained, adaptive systems didn’t make me feel less human. It made me feel more connected — not just to other people, but to life as a whole, and even to how artificial systems now operate. The similarities felt clarifying rather than threatening.
This book didn’t give me comfort in the usual sense. It gave me orientation. And that turned out to be quietly optimistic.
Highly recommended for anyone curious about how we actually function — and willing to feel steadier, not smaller, as a result.
This is a phenomenon! Well written, easy to understand in a style the builds from one concept to another. I have been an advocate of this approach to reality for many years and have been impressed with the difficulty of communicating this to others. The concept of “free will” is so embedded in our culture and day to day experience. I routinely experience anger, ridicule and stedfast refusal to consider the concepts proposed in this book. I urge everyone reading this review to find Laura Tidwell on social media to further experience the phenomenon of Laura Tidwell. Thank you Laura Tidwell
The whole Laura Tidwell phenomenon is fascinating. Very cogent explanations of difficult concepts in physics and philosophy.
The whole Laura Tidwell phenomenon is amazing. This is another example. She is able to communicate!
It really help me understand.
It is a complicated essay that I have had to read again and again to comprehend parts of it but it is deeply thought provoking and seems to touch the vibrations of the energy at te subatomic level❤️
I love your content! It is thought provoking and well researched. You are a breath of fresh air.
The book was well written all through . The language is easy to understand and the idea of the book is gradually explained throughout the chapters. I think the author did a fantastic job,I enjoyed reading the book in a very short time. I highly recommend reading it.
The book was quite a study in determinism and explained why people act/react the way that they do. I saw myself and the ways I react, caused by things from my past.
I’m reminded of The Matrix Reloaded when Neo is with the Architect and he describes that Neo is doing what the system requires of him even though it was against his desired goal. “End the cycle or save Trinity…”
I appreciated some of the analogies used to illustrate your points:
“Think of a river flowing downstream. Every bend and curve
in the river exists because of prior geological formations—it
is an effect of what came before. But as it flows, the river
also shapes the landscape, eroding rock, carving valleys, and
determining where future water will go—it becomes a cause
of what comes next.
Your choices work the same way”
I don’t pretend to be an editor, but assumed that you would be interested in feedback, so use what you can from the following:
I will say that describing the structure or the system became a bit repetitive at times.
New chapters start in the middle of pages frequently. Is this space saving? Intentional? I think it would serve my brain if the structure started chapters at the top of a new page.
At times the footnotes inline interrupt the flow you’re your thoughts. It feels like a textbook instead of a synthesized argument for your ideas.
Overall I found it an interesting read and will evaluate people and myself by the decisions being made and why.
Different way of thinking 🤔
A beautifully written and deeply insightful book that challenges how we think about freedom, control, and the systems that shape our lives. Its central message, that true freedom is found in presence, resonated deeply with me. Read it with an open mind, and it may change how you see yourself and the world
Brilliantly expressed! Well worth the time to read, especially since time is not actually flowing but rather the reading itself becomes an unfolding necessity of universal structure. Like many perennial insights, there is much here that is new yet also anchored in ancient wisdom. Get into it!
As a person fairly well versed in this topic, I must say that Laura Tidwell's book is a powerful reminder that our thoughts can be our own cages. She brilliantly shows that by understanding our limitations, we can finally be free from the weight of guilt, shame & sorrow that prevents us from being free. This book is an insightful & a guide to changing your perspective and finding peace.
Be mindful that the self-reflection required is deep and not always easy, depending where you are in life, you may have to read it twice, and adjust your lfie as you can. True progress demands honesty, but Tidwell guides the reader with a compassionate hand. My best advice is to approach this book with a completely open mind, as if you're starting a new chapter in your life, not with baggage form past: Imagine someone that got divorce w some lessons learned, and got a new girlfriend or boyfriend, and you want to start anew. That's the best mindset I recommend to read this book, of course, even if you married.. just be open minded for improvement not from " Bad", but towards "better". Use it as a tool to define how you want to act & what you want to change, and then put that knowledge into action, is that simple :).
For those navigating complex family dynamics, this book offers a unique approach. I could see families benefiting greatly by reading one chapter a week and discussing it together, fostering communication in a way that is profoundly constructive. It presents tools for understanding that can be a wonderful complement to other forms of self-improvement, & communication skill improvement.
Laura Tidwell’s The Freedom in Knowing You’re Not Free is a powerful recalibration of how we understand ourselves, our systems, and the forces that shape both. She dismantles the comforting myths of choice, control, and moral individualism — and offers something far more useful: structural clarity.
This book isn’t a self-help manual or a philosophical treatise in disguise. It’s a practical map for anyone willing to rethink the role of agency, responsibility, and change through a systemic lens. Tidwell’s insight — that we are not broken, but the current output of an understandable process — is both new and progressive. She shows that lasting change doesn’t come from willpower, but from understanding the architecture of the systems we inhabit and embody. A must-read for anyone ready to trade blame (or self-blame) for pattern recognition.
Excellent read! Solid science and logic…. It completely transformed how I view people helping me to become more compassionate without even trying. Understanding how people are shaped removes the need to judge and that changed everything.
Interesting concept that was well thought out. My only issue with the book is that it repeats itself. If it was more condense it would be easier to read.
Ms. Tidwell, thank you for writing The Iliad of ‘determinism’. I await The Odyssey. And you might as well get started on The Aeneid. Do you want some hack named Virgil gravy-training on your work long after you’re gone?
