The majority of people would argue that post-modern humans have various options in almost every matter. Other groups state that our wrists are tied and we are bound to some invisible chains. I find both of these arguments plausible but I presume our freedom in decision making outweighs the limitations we face.
One of the main reasons that individuals believe we have freer will in our daily lives is science and technology. Technology has enabled us to make so many aspects of our lives easier. For instance, by the means of vaccination and the development of science, we have higher life expectancies compared to our ancestors. We also have different occupations and even different dietary habits! My great-grandparents wouldn’t have to be worried about paying for their children’s education because most folks were illiterates and could barely even count! But we are confident and ambitious enough to consider living on another planet!
On the other hand, the opposing side says that our freedom is nothing but a mere illusion. Materialism and experimental sciences enslaved us to just think about numbers and statistics. In contemporary times, there is no room for humanities and concepts like equality and altruism; it is solely about making rich minorities wealthier than yesterday.
Although until the late 90s, the second group’s interpretation seemed valid, recent rising movements to save the environment or to create an equal world for all ethnicities and genders have proved them wrong. We became social animals because it served our purpose to live more efficiently. Thus, the foundation of our brains is built on this attitude and it cannot be easily altered.
In conclusion, I believe that we are liberated from many of the bounds that our ancestors struggled with, and we are living in a world with wider windows of opportunity.