Historians like to add labels to a period of time: Age of Reason, Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, Renaissance and so on. I wonder if this era will be labelled the Age of Choice.
Giving people choice has been the largely uncontested political mantra of the past three decades or so. It reflects a time of prosperity and growing educational opportunity. It is in stark contrast to the age of rationing and austerity that our parents were born into in the mid decades of the 20th century. Our age of 'choice' also I think contrasts equally with the state planning and nationalisation of the immediate post 1945 governments.
In theory, of course, choice is a wonderful thing. And for many things choice works - when one wants a new shirt or coat it is good to have a range to select from. Similarly with wine, and other good things in life. Choice with these items is not critical; selecting the wrong shirt is not life changing. Not liking a bottle of wine is merely an experience not to repeat.
However Choice is not always appropriate, or a positive thing. In education, health, and supply of major utilities (electricity, gas and the like) Choice has proved to have negative effects. We are not sufficiently able or informed to make those choices. It simply becomes a lottery. It increases division and inequality within society. Where competition and choice are appropriate let us have capitalism, otherwise where there is a natural monopoly, let the state take responsibility. The dividing line between the two is up for debate. To paraphrase George Osborne's slogan, we should be 'all in it together'.
I am not even sure whether choice in the area of consumption is the answer. Give me ten cereals to choose from and I feel quite cross. Tell me that we have porridge or eggs and I can manage.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, choice is a powerful mantra but an odd one in so many ways.
I agree. I am developing some more ideas on choice. It does not seem to = happiness.
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