An option on options | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

An option on options

Hindustan Times | By
Mar 02, 2008 10:23 PM IST

If you had to decide which cereal brand to buy, which movie to watch and which friend to visit, how would you make up your mind?

If you had to decide which cereal brand to buy, which movie to watch and which friend to visit, how would you make up your mind? Would you cross out the varying options and narrow down the choice to one in each category? Of course not, you’d keep all options up in the air and muddle along. But be warned, this will do you no good, according to a study by an Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor. Those whom he observed in his experiments were loath to let go of any option even when it cost them more than if they were to eliminate some of these.

HT Image
HT Image

This is bad news for those of us who believe in keeping our options open. Now all our life, it has been drummed into our heads that one should not put off till tomorrow what can be done today. But for most of us, there is an enormous comfort factor in putting things off. If you are pathologically inclined against exercising any option, it might be a good idea to leave the thinking to someone else. For those of us who are married or are in a relationship, the option, yes just that one, would be to leave the other person to take the decisions.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

But therein lies the rub. Most of us shy away from exercising our options but are still cagey about someone else doing it
for us. For the rich, all this does not pose a dilemma. When faced with a Ferrari, Jaguar and Bentley, what do you plum for? Why, all of them while you shop around for a new home with enough parking space. But for the rest of us, it’s still decisions, decisions, decisions.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch Now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Narendra Modi Live Updates along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Saturday, March 02, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On