"The individual mirrors in his individuation the preordained social laws of exploitation, however mediated"

In this quote, Theodor Adorno is recommending that the process of individuation, or ending up being a private, is heavily affected by the predetermined social laws of exploitation. These laws, which are frequently hidden or camouflaged, dictate how people need to behave and connect with one another in society. Adorno argues that although people may seem like they are special and independent, they are in fact just showing and perpetuating these social laws. This is due to the fact that these laws are deeply ingrained in our society and are frequently mediated or infiltrated numerous institutions and systems. Therefore, even in our pursuit of individuality, we are still bound by the overbearing structures of exploitation that exist within our society.