Choice

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/opinion/24sun3.html?th&emc=th


I have read a few articles on choice lately. Many condemn choice as something that complicates life and causes anxiety. Many take a Marxist-Veblenesque approach and say that an individual really does not decide on anything; their surroundings decide for them. I had a colleague recently say that obesity was not a choice, "nobody would want to be fat."

Surroundings affect choice, but surroundings cannot decide. I enjoy eating partly because my parents emphasized putting food on the table. But, I have known about quality nutrition for the last decade of my life and have decided to eat poorly. Do I want to be fat? No. Do I want government to eliminate greasy cheese burgers? Hell no. Obviously, there have been numerous times when I have preferred greasy cheese burgers to being skinny. I have recognized the consequences of my decisions.

I will never forget the guy who valued microbreweries but disliked Wal-Mart. (I cannot imagine microbrewery proliferation without Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart made microbrewery distribution possible.
They made retailers cut their margins while also creating a consumer-first attitude. The guy could not see that if government limited Wal-Mart it would be limiting his choice of beers also.)

The retro-hippies do not realize that they make choices everyday that I do not like. I cannot appreciate their lackadaisical participation in distant athletic events. It is simply a vacation, but they need an event to travel to a different place and get drunk with their friends. Go and party, but do not cheapen the event by half-heartedly competing. (Of course, I know there are unforeseen consequences to government eliminating these actions that would adversely affect me.)

The previous two paragraphs raise the question, which choices do we eliminate? In my perfect world, athletic events would be sacred. In the other guy's perfect world, there would be no Wal-Marts. Who decides?

I pick the market.

(There is an interesting discussion on infromation here, but I have got to eat something.)