Wednesday, April 17, 2013

AOC: Choice Remains an Art

Haley Scholars Spring 2013 Reading Groups 

By Danielle Hall

Over the course of this semester, we have read and discussed varying choice processes including informed intuition, collective choices, and limited or restrictive choices. The processes all point to the myriad ways that we are informed and impacted by choice.

In the epilogue, I found the following statement by Iyengar a useful point to consider that sums up her main thoughts and arguments throughout the book: "Science can assist us in becoming more skillful choosers, but at its core, choice remains an art" (268). In order to benefit the most from our choices, we must be willing to accept its ambiguity as well as its paradox.

How about you -- what's one concept raised in the epilogue that drew your interest? In brief, explain why that concept or example was notable or intriguing to you?

4 comments:

Kayleigh E. said...

I was really interested in how the author talked about the Choose Your Own Adventure books. Everyone would love to be the reader of their life so they could skip ahead to know what choices to make. I like how that tied into astrology. People read their horoscopes hoping to know what lies ahead for them. The future is the unknown and the unknown is scary. The choices we make have a big impact on the rest of our lives.

Unknown said...

What I found interesting was when Iyengar said making a choice is essentially turning ourselves over to the future and its uncertainty. I thought this was an intriguing point because it points out the humanity of the situation. It shows that not every decision is easy to make and also that no one wants to make the wrong decision.
-Ashya F.

Kiara Gay said...

I found it interesting when the author states "choosing helps us create our lives. We make choices and are in turn made by them" (268). This is intriguing because it is true. Everyday in life we make choices that affect who we are as a person, and who we will be in the future. With out being able to think and make choices we are nothing. In order to be your own person you have to make your own decisions.

Robert F said...

What seemed interesting to me was when the author explained how choices would mold us into who we will be in the future. I found this interesting because i feel like i can relate so well with what he said. Not every decision you make will be an easy decision. Also every right decision might not be the "right decision"