What does Wright Mills mean by "cheerful robots

Wright Mills meant "cheerful robots'' by the Americans were not exercising their right to freedom and just being like robots

Explanation:

Wright Mills was a sociologist and always stood for equality in the society and to improve the conditions of the society. In the year 1959, he stated the words of America people being cheerful robots and by stating this he meant that the people of the United States of America were being like robots who were only listening to the officials of the government.

They were not exercising their right to question the official. They were just simply listening to what the government was saying or doing for them or not questioning the employers. Freedom of choice was not being exercised.