One of the intended side-effects of mind control is conformity. When IT uses its mental powers on the citizens of Camazotz, it effectively strips them of their free will, making it impossible for them to make their own choices or even to resist. Consequently, the people act according to IT's will and are forced to conform to the ideals that IT has ascribed. IT believes that total submission to its will is the greatest form of bliss, but L'Engle makes it clear that this isn't the case. Under IT's control, a person is largely incapable of feeling love, sadness, and the full range of human emotions. This is a dangerous form of conformity that seeks to strip people of what makes them human.