The Change Dude’s Blog

Tyrannical False Choices

In a world filled with decisions, we often find ourselves trapped in a web or false choices. These pesky little monsters force us to pick between two seemingly opposing options with little room for nuance or creativity. It’s like choosing between a lukewarm cup of coffee or a swift kick in the butt. Binary choices are fraught with foolishness.

Society and the business world loves to shove these false choices down our throats. Imagine standing at a crossroads, torn between two paths. On one side, you’ve got the safe, vanilla option – the kind of choice even Sister Mary Margaret would approve of. On the other side, it’s a winding unpaved path to the unknown where your insurance company fails to cover you.

False choices rely on conformity. They’re like grade school bullies, shoving you in the ‘normal’ locker. Follow the rules or there are consequences.

You’ve got to always question the framing of a false choice. When I was growing up my dad would ask me with a smile “Do you want to go to New York or by bus?” Now is that really a choice? What he was actually asking was ” Do you want the answer, or can you figure it out yourself?”

Every choice we make leaves something behind. In my book “Beware the Shiny Object” I talk about the value and importance of Just Deciding. There is really only one choice that is irreversible, the rest of them offer opportunities.

You can break free of false choices and make your own decisions. Leave the binary mindset behind:

1. Seek Third Options like they’re hidden treasure. When a false choice rears its ugly head give it a good whack and invent other options.
2. Expand the Conversation to explore the gray areas. Gray areas are where ideas can be synthesized and explored.
3. Turn Multiple-Choice questions into forced ranked choices. Life isn’t a multiple-choice test – it’s a messy, exciting show-your-work blue book.

It seems everyday governments, businesses, and society give us a never-ending stream of false choices to contend with from what to call each other to where to work to how to mow your lawn. If we all spent less time whining about the foolish list of false choices and more time deciding on what works best maybe, just maybe, false choices will slowly disappear.

April 9, 2024 - Posted by thechangedude | Uncategorized