The Paradox of Many Choices

Many parents commented : “Today children are very fortunate as they have many choices and options. Unlike the old days, there were hardly any choice and we just had to do what needed to be done.”

Choices and options can range from many schools to choose from, different combination of subjects, further study opportunity, at home or abroad. Then there are all types of entertainments, leisure, traveling, making friends even at the global village through internet. Then there is a great varieties of careers, businesses or investment to make a living.

Indeed, we can say there is blessing to those who make good choices with satisfactory results.

But many choices can become a big problem, especially for the teenagers or young adults.

The overwhelming multi-choices can become a great bewilderment and confusion. Even for those who already make the choices, e.g. higher study, job, starting a new family, there could be a hanging cloud over their heads : “Did I make the correct choice?” especially when they make comparisons with others. Some even wonder : “Are my parents the best?” - either with higher expectation, or simply they do not know what they are looking for in life; using what appropriate frames of mind to look at the reality around them, which is fairly complex.

Of course, there are other options, desired by them, but not within their reach.

On one hand, the youth is trying to settle down with the chosen options (surely no one can have the best of all worlds!), they are trying to build their own identity with self-confidence. But such process takes time and experience, and most importantly, good reflection to acquire the wisdom.

While they are on the learning curve to establish certainty and permanency, the youth manifest all types of behavior. On one extreme, it can be violence like road rage (just recently some youths killed a road user, (a young driver also) who was slightly slow in his driving, annoyed the car drivers behind), to outburst of temper with unkind words towards their own siblings or parents.

Basically, they see problem outside them. Their state of mind, (unstable or not feeling fulfilled) is attributed by outside factors: circumstances, events, classmates, teachers, friends, or even parents,

The paradox of many choices is both a challenge to the youth and the old and the society at large.

End.