Two Many Choices
A few days ago, I was speaking with my brother back East. During the conversation he mentioned hearing a radio conversation about the idea that this society has too many choices and it is not making people any happier. I would even say that is mentally paralysing for some.
I decided to Google “Two Many Choices” and got 36,700,000 references to those words. I clicked on three or four references on the first page. Quickly scanning them I found one was about choice of web sites for downloading photos; one referred to the overabundance of choice related to medical/drug plans for seniors; a third was a book review from 2000 whcih seemd too far back for me; and I stopped when I found one thoughtful piece from reasononline.
The article mentioned a number of books studies where the more choice given people resulted in less decisive action. But it went on to comment that for many people we have assistance in choosing and so for many people there really is no inertia or paralysis happening.
How does this relate to parenting?
I feel that there are a great many options out there for parents. What are the best ways to diaper your child? What preschool or school will he/she go to? Too many options and choices are out there for the everyday and the long term.
A lot about making choice is having a vision of what you and your partner want for your family. Your values are also an integral part of the vision and making informed choices. By relying on our vision, intuition and our values, it is often easier to make decisions.
posted by Paul Abra @ 9:57 AM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
I just finished reading a book called The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by US sociologist Barry Swartz.
His point in the book is that constantly being asked to make choices, even about the simplest things, forces us to "invest time, energy, and no small amount of self-doubt, and dread." There comes a point, he contends, at which choice becomes debilitating rather than liberating. Did I make the right choice? Can I ever make the right choice?
Add in the pressure of trying to do the best thing for your kids, and the pressure of making the wrong decision eventually leads you to believe that every decision you make is wrong because (you suspect) there might always a better option around the corner.
As someone who has trouble making decisions, I found this book a huge revelation.
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