Challenging choices Ideology, consumerism and policy /
Clarke, Michael,1945-
This lively and topical book provides a critique of choice in contemporary society and policy. Having choices empowers us, but constant extension of choice overwhelms us. In a concise and readable style, the author considers whether choice enhances or burdens our lives, and questions the blithe assumption that more choice is always for the better.
Description based upon print version of record.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Cover -- Challenging Choices -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- Part One: Choice And Consumerism -- 1. What Is Choice? -- 2. Making Choices: Just Fun? -- Opportunity Cost, Regret And Complexity -- Adapting To Choice: Maximisers And Satisficers -- Reversibility And Provision -- Individual And Collective Choice -- Making Choices More Or Less Stressful -- Adaptation: A Sting In The Tail -- 3. Choice And The Consumer Society -- Industrialisation And The Acceptance Of Constant Change -- The Political Consequences Of Industrialisation -- Markets And Their Problems -- Engaging With The Problems: Socialism And Social Democracy -- The Inevitability Of Social Democracy -- The Rise Of Affluence And The New Right -- The Coming Of Affluence -- The Legacy Of The New Right: The Consumer Society -- The Politics Of Consumerist Choice -- Credit And Consumerism -- Consumerism And The EmperorS New Clothes -- Tolerance As A Leading Value Of Consumerism -- Choice, Tolerance And Meaning -- 4. When Choice Does Not Work -- Does Choice Overwhelm Or Empower? -- Professionals And Other Experts: Intermediaries -- Provision -- Popular Music And Broadcasting: Counter-Examples? -- 5. Some Wider Problems With Choice -- Cartels And Competition -- The Problems Of Intervention -- Pubs And Beer -- Cartels: A Permanent Feature Of The Modern Economy -- Choice And The Big Lie -- Cars -- Supermarkets -- Retail Financial Services -- Bad Choices -- Credit And The Money Illusion -- Choice And Duty -- Conclusion: Spoiled For Choice -- Part Two: Choice And The Life Cycle -- 6. Introduction: Choice And The Life Cycle -- 7. Jobs And Careers -- 8. Lovers, Partners, Spouses -- 9. Fertility And Family -- Child Rearing -- 10. Retirement -- 11. Death -- The Current Debate -- The Problems Of Care -- Part Three: Conclusions -- 12. Choice And Meaning -- Religion As A Support For Meaning -- Individualism And The Retreat Into Self In The Search For Meaning: Hedonism -- The Retreat Into Self: Self-Improvement -- Choice And Meaning: Three Options -- 13. Conclusion -- Notes And Sources -- Index.
This lively and topical book provides a critique of choice in contemporary society and policy. Having choices empowers us, but constant extension of choice overwhelms us. In a concise and readable style, the author considers whether choice enhances or burdens our lives, and questions the blithe assumption that more choice is always for the better.
Description based on print version record.
Verbraucherverhalten
Kollektiventscheidung
Entscheidungsfindung
Wahlmöglichkeit
Alltag
Social choice.
Decision making.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
PSYCHOLOGY
Decision making.
Social choice.