I think people have the capability to think for themselves and behave intelligently, since otherwise we probably wouldn't have survived to the point of creating

I think people have the capability to think for themselves and behave intelligently, since otherwise we probably wouldn't have survived to the point of creating abstract language, complex cultures and civilization, when mass brainwashing became possible. However, speaking of brainwashing, this capability seems to cease functioning when people are regularly pushed to follow arbitrary standards they don't really understand with the use of carrot-and-stick methods. Possibly something related to the "unused muscle" effect. And such carrot-and-stick training happens a lot in the West. I have no clue if a large society of more independent people would be stable and able to remain a society of independent people indefinitely. It seems that US was an experiment in creating such state, but then it ended up flooded with Christian immigrants and by the beginning of the 20th century they have already outlawed anything even remotely connected to freedom of choice and fun which at the same time isn't strictly required for survival, from alcohol and weed through prostitution and oral/anal sex ("sodomy laws" are still a thing in US) up to owning real weapons (who cares about assault rifles when the gov can bomb a whole city from drones). I don't know if the big monotheistic religions with their insistence on beating everyone into submission are the original reason for such state of affairs, or if they are just an external sign of something deeper and unavoidable. Maybe there are free societies somewhere in other parts of the world, but I don't know them. My experience is limited to WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) and here Milgram Effect is indeed the king.