Actually, that title isn't true. Social forces beyond our immediate control to matter in various ways, though it would be a bit dishonest to say society gives us no power over our lives. A sociological mindset can really help you understand how social forces shape your attitudes, beliefs, finances, and so forth.
You will probably be familiar with this argument: "You don't need to go to college to succeed." People who believe that statement probably can pull out one or two anecdotes to support their bogus claim. However, anectodes cannot change the facts. In fact, people with college degrees earn more money, on average, than people who only completed high school. A boring factual statement doesn't catch on like a pithy bit of "common sense" thinking.
We don't get our religious beliefs out of a vacuum. Social forces may not force you to be a Christian but the social environment does have a huge influence on your choice of religion. How many Christians are there in Nepal? How many Buddhists are there in Nepal? Did all of those Nepalese Buddhists consider which religion was true, or at least made sense? Of course you know the answer to that question.
We do have some control over how we deal with the social conditions we face, but ultimately we spend most of our time responding to things that happen in our social environment. You might decide to network some and polish your old resume because you want a new challenge. Often people do those things because they get laid off, or think they will.
Our society also helps perpetuate fringe beliefs and medical practices. The constant drumbeat of "secret" and "lifesaving" information sinks in. Our capitalistic culture provides a fertile environment for hucksters to promote craziness of all sorts. A relatively high standard of living gives people the time and money to engage in all manner of frivolous activities, like buying quamtum healing water.
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