Choice

 

“Can I have a water please?”

“Bottled or Tap?”

“Tap”

“What size would you like?”

“Venti”

“Ice with that?”

“Yes please”

“Lid and straw?”

“Yes please”

“Flat lid or dome lid?”

“Flat lid”

We live in an age where all across the globe we are richer than ever and our planet has been shrunk to the size of a snowglobe, where the majority of the world’s citizens live in democracies, supposedly giving us control over our lives. We have an endless array of choices in front of us, 60,000 or so drinks combinations at my lovely Starbucks. We can converse with anyone, anywhere, anytime. We can eat whatever, wherever, whenever. Shopping, travel, food, music, literature, language, education, knowledge is available on tap. Culture is available on tap. 30 years ago they couldn’t have ever dreamt of the internet or cellphones or ipods or our 24/7 everything everywhere culture. Do we not have everything already?

I get shouted at because the wireless internet isn’t working. Only 2 years ago wireless internet was very rare now its expected. 8 years ago broadband internet started, now the wrath of god will be brought down on an Indian call centre worker when someones youtube video is playing slowly.

Our political system is based on choice. Our economic system is based on choice. Choice is meant to free us.

Yet as I serve up Lattes to the masses all I hear is grunt/whine/shout/complain/scream/moan.

They are angry. The world is angry, it’s frustrated, people are frustrated, i think because they seek some control over their lives. Each individual is powerless in a system driven by Adam Smith’s ‘invisible hand of the market’. That very hand that fed us, sheltered us and clothed us in the 20th century is now slapping us in the face in the 21st.