@75e7cd9e 
You are arguing one of two points:

1) They cannot be free thinkers by definition.
DUH.... the entire society is facing a particular set of problems, and these people are using the same set of linguistic and philosophical tools to find a solution.

So suuuuuure. By definition, they aren't a "free thinkers", and I am not a free person either, since I am trapped by my need to shit.

Or:
2) A "free thinker" is a rigid set of rules.
I hate boomer thinking just as much as anyone, but a person set in his beliefs is still 10 times more free the a slave of social pressures.