Challenging choices : ideology, consumerism and policy / Michael Clarke.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clarke, Michael, 1945-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social choice.

Decision making.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iv, 211 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Bristol : Policy, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This lively and topical book provides a critique of choice in contemporary society and policy. Having choices empowers us, but constant extension of choice overwhelms us. In a concise and readable style, the author considers whether choice enhances or burdens our lives, and questions the blithe assumption that more choice is always for the better.

Contents:

Cover

Challenging Choices

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Part One: Choice And Consumerism

1. What Is Choice?

2. Making Choices: Just Fun?

Opportunity Cost, Regret And Complexity

Adapting To Choice: Maximisers And Satisficers

Reversibility And Provision

Individual And Collective Choice

Making Choices More Or Less Stressful

Adaptation: A Sting In The Tail

3. Choice And The Consumer Society

Industrialisation And The Acceptance Of Constant Change

The Political Consequences Of Industrialisation

Markets And Their Problems

Engaging With The Problems: Socialism And Social Democracy

The Inevitability Of Social Democracy

The Rise Of Affluence And The New Right

The Coming Of Affluence

The Legacy Of The New Right: The Consumer Society

The Politics Of Consumerist Choice

Credit And Consumerism

Consumerism And The EmperorS New Clothes

Tolerance As A Leading Value Of Consumerism

Choice, Tolerance And Meaning

4. When Choice Does Not Work

Does Choice Overwhelm Or Empower?

Professionals And Other Experts: Intermediaries

Provision

Popular Music And Broadcasting: Counter-Examples?

5. Some Wider Problems With Choice

Cartels And Competition

The Problems Of Intervention

Pubs And Beer

Cartels: A Permanent Feature Of The Modern Economy

Choice And The Big Lie

Cars

Supermarkets

Retail Financial Services

Bad Choices

Credit And The Money Illusion

Choice And Duty

Conclusion: Spoiled For Choice

Part Two: Choice And The Life Cycle

6. Introduction: Choice And The Life Cycle

7. Jobs And Careers

8. Lovers, Partners, Spouses

9. Fertility And Family

Child Rearing

10. Retirement

11. Death

The Current Debate

The Problems Of Care

Part Three: Conclusions

12. Choice And Meaning

Religion As A Support For Meaning

Individualism And The Retreat Into Self In The Search For Meaning: Hedonism

The Retreat Into Self: Self-Improvement

Choice And Meaning: Three Options

13. Conclusion

Notes And Sources

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 06 Apr 2023).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612754340

9781447300670

144730067X

9781447301622

1447301625

9781282754348

1282754343

9781847428660

1847428665

OCLC:

664565734