Is it this or is it that?
That seems to be the way decisions are portrayed by the media, politicians, and most academics. Whether to fund a new program, or start a new war, all the pundits make the decision appear simple: Is it this is it or that?
But for those of us in the real world, it’s almost never that simple.
Let’s say you want to buy a car. We have lots of preferences: Initial price; payment plans; better gas mileage; maintenance records; and the intangibles: Is it cool?, Is it easy to park? Is it comfortable?; both to drive and to get in and out of?
So after hours, or days, or weeks, we’ve narrowed it down to 3 cars: A, or B, or C! What we decide is what I call a package decision. Neither package A, nor package B, nor package C are perfect. Each has some things we like and some things we don’t like. But eventually we make a decision – a package decision!
#2: Let’s say we’re looking for a mate.
There are lots of candidates. Some obviously NO! Many so-so. And a few final contenders. We really like Alice or Sally; or John or Frank; none of them are perfect, they all have flaws, some fairly serious, but eventually, unless we wish to remain single forever, we make a decision, a package decision. Package A is better than package B.
Academics can’t seem to understand this.
Let’s look at a 3rd example. Voting for a political candidate.
If you vote a party ticket, this is not for you. You won’t enjoy it.
I’ve never belonged to a political party. The idea of some group, somewhere far away, deciding who I will vote for is totally repugnant to me. Over the years, I’m 68 now, I’ve seen lots of Individuals make & break dozens of promises. Some had to change when confronted with the reality of governing, some never intended to live up to their promises in the first place. But to me, when all is said & done I vote for an Individual – a package decision. He, or soon she, will make their own personal decisions. I’ll agree with some, and disagree with others, that’s life.
But this principle applies to much smaller decisions as well. Let’s say you want to buy a birthday cake. Chocolate or vanilla; rich cream or substitute; plain or inscribed; how big? Again, your final decision is a package decision.
How many ‘package decisions’ have you made in your life?