When I slow down and think about my motivations for the actions I take, I sometimes realize that I am responding to external stimuli, in other words, being manipulated into a response that suits someone else's purpose. Sometimes this is okay, especially when their purpose and mine are aligned. But we are often led to behave in ways that are contrary to our own best interest, and we're discouraged from noticing, considering, or examining what is happening. Some things can't be un-noticed.