"...we have to find ways to pretend to ourselves that our self-interest isn’t playing a role in warping our choices. That’s the thing about the patronage network — it may pay handsome dividends in terms of money and opportunities, but the price paid is the loss of our independent minds — it’s to wake up one day to realize that your body, mind, and soul are now being bent in servitude to an invisible leash. Sure, you could walk away from it all in a heartbeat and no-one would stop you, but would you want to? What price are you willing to pay to own your own mind?
https://juliusruechel.substack.com/p/the-rat-king-and-his-patronage-network