Do you believe the existence of choice is more important than the choice itself?

Question

For example. Suppose you go to this movie instead of that. Is the choice you just made more important than the fact that the choice is there to be made?

Answer 1

I intially thought "no", but the more I think about it, yes. Having the opportunity to make a choice, is more important that the choice you make. And if you make a bad choice, there is another chance down the line to make a better choice. Good question.

Answer 2

what a nice question!

It really made me think and discuss it with friends. Originally, I thought it depended on the choice, whether it is something arbitrary or life changing. As it's nice to have the freedom to make the major decisions in your life, but if the answers are already present and perfect for your happiness, than who cares about the freedom to choose. Plus that having too much choice, people tend to not choose at all any more. (people tend to choose between three items, but if there is too much to choose from, no choice will be made).

but then again, my friend pointed out that having a choice is what makes people happy/excited. if you can buy a banana and every banana is the same price you pick out the nicest one, and that gives a very satisfying feeling. the same for the next person who wants to buy a banana. in the end everyone is happy to have picked the best banana available at the time they were shopping. if the choice is removed, you'd end up in a communist society where the desire to achieve is lessened as the rewards of the opportunity/choice to something better is gone.

So i guess, while rationally the object/person to choose is the most important part of choice to me, being human, we're happiest when we feel free to choose.

Answer 3

I appreciate the opportunity for choice, and I appreciate the wisdom within the choice made. I would say the importance lies within the choice itself.

Having choice of movie is more important than the movie you see.

Whether you choose to create or destroy I would say is more important than having that choice.

Answer 4

Good Question. All choices lead to more choices so yes the ability to make a choice is more important.

Answer 5

Choice is always available.

The issues are:
1: Does one recognize the choices that are offered;
2: How viable are those options;

Taking your question about the movie:
Your choices are to go to the theater, or not go.
* If you go, the options are to buy a ticket for the movie that is being screened, or to go home;
* If the movie you want to see is not being screened, then seeing that move, that day, is not a viable option.

Most people would want the viable option to be the movie they want to see, on the day they want to see it.

I suspect that most people would see choice only as "positive viable options", rather than "all available options".

Answer 6

Choice do exist, 100%. I do believed that God has endowed us with this qualities of absolute will (choice). Choice is a serious matter and a decision we made in everyday aspect of our life. Without choice you are like a floatsome object tossed to and fro, from every direction without a course. (no other choice)

In every choice we made, either good or bad, there is a consequences we have to face, and this consequences is the result of our own choice.

Answer 7

Having a choice. If you don't have a choice, then there is no choice to be important.

Answer 8

In a free society choice is a luxury but to be sure in choosing the right thing for you at any cost is a sign of maturity.

Answer 9

For me, it's essential to have a choice - in anything. Rather choose and perhaps even make a wrong choice than not be allowed to choose.

Answer 10

Yes