Whilst usually i'm a reasonably tolerant and forgiving person I find that this easy-going demeanour slips somewhat when shopping.
For years I have wondered is this because more annoying people are more likely to inhabit shopping centres, strips and the CBD when I’m there? Is there an email that goes out each morning suggesting the best way to piss me off? Whilst it is true that more annoying people are more likely to be found in annoying places it is also true that annoying people are to found all over this place (as Lux said).
So it might not be simply that people aint no good after all, it might be 'hyperchoice'. In the west this economic era, with the cultures of mass production and consumption, has provided us with an ever increasing plethora of choice. Whilst this has advantages this hyperchoice places demands on our cognitive resources. Too much choice requires more effort to be expended on every decision. We have only limited resources to engage in voluntary behaviour and these can be reduced by the effort needed to contrast, compare and retrieve from memory the details of each desire we are attempting to fill in these overbright climate controlled temples of mammon. This eventually results in harried decisions, we might select that which only approximates our need, or we choose the obvious and we end up less happy with our final choice.
Also afflicted are ‘Maximisers’, those who habitually carefully consider all options and make informed decisions. These types, who might be thought of as well adapted to this culture, are also afflicted by the negative consequences of hyperchoice. The over abundance of options and their habitual consideration will result in less satisfaction, nothing is ever perfect and it is this that will haunt the maximiser. The product they take home will likely be somewhat less glowing in the light of all that could have been.
These examples of our cognitive capacities go some way to explaining why I can’t be bothered thinking my way through every human interaction after deciding whether or not this shirt is worth the money or which brand of floor cleaner to buy. However this is not the whole story. Less well supported empirically, but possibly making just as much sense is that the incessant focus on the self (my needs, my size, my budget, my floor) results in an inordinate self focus. When we focus on ourselves we are less likely to be able to take others perspective, the needs of others are small in comparison to the over activated awareness of self.
Here is where I might consider a prescription, some homely suggestions to minimise choice, something about a local market, growing your own or re-using etc. Maybe a cute rant about how saving psychic energy on things allows more to be available for people, but I can't be bothered, you'll work it out. Idiot.
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These examples of our cognitive capacities go some way to explaining why I can’t be bothered thinking my way through every human interaction after deciding whether or not this shirt is worth the money or which brand of floor cleaner to buy. However this is not the whole story. Less well supported empirically, but possibly making just as much sense is that the incessant focus on the self (my needs, my size, my budget, my floor) results in an inordinate self focus. When we focus on ourselves we are less likely to be able to take others perspective, the needs of others are small in comparison to the over activated awareness of self.
Here is where I might consider a prescription, some homely suggestions to minimise choice, something about a local market, growing your own or re-using etc. Maybe a cute rant about how saving psychic energy on things allows more to be available for people, but I can't be bothered, you'll work it out. Idiot.
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