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© Photo by Bonnie Schupp
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Which one should I choose? Elastic, fabric, flexible or new skin liquid bandage? Waterproof, heavy-duty waterproof, water block plus or breathable comfort wrap? Tough strips or gentle hypoallergenic strips? Color, clear or sheer? Small, regular, large, extra-large or assorted? Anti-bacterial, advanced healing hydrocolloid or advanced healing blister care? Disney princess, Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, Disney Pixar, Sponge Bob, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or plain?
This is a sticky problem. Maybe I should buy the stretch net that eliminates the need for adhesive bandages?
Four long CVS shelves accommodate an array of way too many boxes of bandages or Band-Aids. When I was a young girl, if my mother sent me to the store to buy some Band-Aids, I would be in and out of the store in an instant. Today, it takes me 15 minutes at least to study all the choices, another 5 minutes to make up my mind, and another 5 minutes to question the wisdom of my choice.
We pride ourselves in our freedom of choice, but have we come to the place where our freedom is actually enslaving us? Having so many options is overwhelming and at the very least, time consuming. Is consumer choice causing anxiety? Is constant decision-making affecting our sanity and taking time away from things that really matter?
Rather than an entire aisle, part of one shelf of bandages is plenty for me.
Is less better? Perhaps.
Is less better? Perhaps.
Check out the links below and you decide. (Please note: Because I am a kind-hearted human being, I have intentionally limited your choices for reading.)
(If you do not have time to look at all the following links, this one is the best.)
“The tyranny of choice: You choose.” The Economist, http://www.economist.com/node/17723028
“Are too many choices a bad thing?” Mother Nature Network, http://www.mnn.com/money/personal-finance/stories/are-too-many-choices-a-bad-thing
“Why does having too many options make it harder to choose?” How Stuff Works, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/choose-options.htm
http://www.cvs.com/shop/Health-&-Medicine/First-Aid/Bandages/_/N-3uZ13lji6Z2k?pt=SUBCATEGORY&pageNum=1&sortBy=&navNum=20
Very good post! I totally agree that having as many choices as are currently available for most Americans does not improve our quality of life. When we lived in Australia the cereal aisle was a third of that in US grocery stores and after the initial surprise I was perfectly fine with it.
ReplyDeleteAmericans sometimes tend to go overboard.
DeleteI've got TMC overload from just reading this Bonnie! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Sandy.
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