Comments on: Just pick one: Musing about toothpaste in Calcutta and its effect on enterprise information http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/ a blog about information Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:37:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin Budden http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/comment-page-1/#comment-199143 Martin Budden Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:50:53 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/#comment-199143 Funnily enough, my early memories of England are the opposite of yours. I'm English (as are both my parents) but I spent my early years in America (my father worked for an American company). As a small child visiting England during the late sixties/early seventies my memories were of the lack of choice. In particular virtually no choice in breakfast cereals, only four flavours of ice-cream and only three channels on the TV (these things make an impact on a small child). I also find the whole subject of choice fascinating. Choice is linked to freedom, one's value system, one's knowledge/experience/education/capabilities and one's relationships with others. The nature of the relationships between these things is one of the fundamental questions we spend our lives answering. We grow and improve our lives by lessening the externally imposed choices (by improving our education, wealth, government, abilities etc) and by increasing the internally imposed choices (by honing our value system, taking on responsibilities and focusing on what we believe to be important). Potential is realized (and freedom gained) by making a choice. Having a choice imposed can be oppression (as Blake said "One law for lion and ox is oppression"). But, ironically, allowing a choice to be made for you can be liberating. Partly because you gain new experiences (let your loved one choose the activity/holiday destination etc, let the sommelier choose the wine), but also partly because choice can be a burden and removing or limiting the choice lessens the burden (I invariably prefer a restaurant with a small set menu to one with a large list of items). Of course you have to trust the person(s) to whom you defer the choice. Funnily enough, my early memories of England are the opposite of yours. I’m English (as are both my parents) but I spent my early years in America (my father worked for an American company). As a small child visiting England during the late sixties/early seventies my memories were of the lack of choice. In particular virtually no choice in breakfast cereals, only four flavours of ice-cream and only three channels on the TV (these things make an impact on a small child).

I also find the whole subject of choice fascinating. Choice is linked to freedom, one’s value system, one’s knowledge/experience/education/capabilities and one’s relationships with others. The nature of the relationships between these things is one of the fundamental questions we spend our lives answering.

We grow and improve our lives by lessening the externally imposed choices (by improving our education, wealth, government, abilities etc) and by increasing the internally imposed choices (by honing our value system, taking on responsibilities and focusing on what we believe to be important). Potential is realized (and freedom gained) by making a choice. Having a choice imposed can be oppression (as Blake said “One law for lion and ox is oppression”).

But, ironically, allowing a choice to be made for you can be liberating. Partly because you gain new experiences (let your loved one choose the activity/holiday destination etc, let the sommelier choose the wine), but also partly because choice can be a burden and removing or limiting the choice lessens the burden (I invariably prefer a restaurant with a small set menu to one with a large list of items). Of course you have to trust the person(s) to whom you defer the choice.

]]> By: sysrick.com » links for 2007-10-02 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/comment-page-1/#comment-197208 sysrick.com » links for 2007-10-02 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 01:24:41 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/#comment-197208 [...] Just pick one: Musing about toothpaste in Calcutta and its effect on enterprise information [...] [...] Just pick one: Musing about toothpaste in Calcutta and its effect on enterprise information [...]

]]> By: JP http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/comment-page-1/#comment-196828 JP Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:06:41 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/#comment-196828 Thanks Stephanie. Will do. Thanks Stephanie. Will do.

]]> By: Stephanie Booth http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/comment-page-1/#comment-196801 Stephanie Booth Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:10:24 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/09/30/just-pick-one-musing-about-toothpaste-in-calcutta-and-its-effect-on-enterprise-information/#comment-196801 JP, do write about your India --> Europe "culture shock" experience. I only lived in India for a year, but did find the whole "maladjustment" process I was going through fascinating to write about. I'd love to read "the other side of the story". I really enjoyed your toothpaste story, for starters. JP, do write about your India –> Europe “culture shock” experience. I only lived in India for a year, but did find the whole “maladjustment” process I was going through fascinating to write about.

I’d love to read “the other side of the story”. I really enjoyed your toothpaste story, for starters.

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