Summary
Are we a nation of excess
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Extract
THE VIRTUE OF RESTRAINT.
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH CHOICE?
It was supposed to be a quick run to the food store. All I needed was a quart of milk and some cereal for a house guest. I hurried into the Giant, our aptly named supermarket, and made my way to the breakfast cereals, wondering what kind my friend would like. I began pacing the aisle, absorbed in the choices stacked in front of me. Corn flakes or raisin bran? Name brand or store brand? Single packs or full size? Sugared or plain--or maybe chocolate-flavored? Overwhelmed by the variety, I wheeled around and surveyed my path. The entire aisle, from top to bottom on one side, was stocked with cereal, something I'd never noticed before. My curiosity now piqued, I retraced my steps, this time counting. Grand total: 130 different kinds, sizes, and brands of cereal available to the discerning shopper. On the way home, I pondered the experience, searching for the advantage of such extensive choice. I have often heard it said that "development is anything that increases one's options," a shorthand definition that holds a tidy appeal. After all, a primary reason Germany is regarded as more developed than, say, Haiti, is that Germans have more opportunities--more options--than Haitians do. Is a country with 130 cereals really better off--more developed, all other things being equal--than a country with just 10? As our development advances, should we be aiming for 200 different cereal choices? It seems to me that the benefits of e...See the full content of this document
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