Decision-making in the modern world has changed dramatically over the past fifty years, particularly in urban settings where consumer options have expanded beyond anyone’s wildest expectations.
As a child, I remember having just one small box of locally made toys, while many of my friends had only a bat and ball or no toys at all. Children of that time would play traditional games or invent new ones using their imagination, along with earth, stones, seeds, and whatever else was at hand. If we wanted to blow on something to make noise, we would take a mango kernel, grind it against a stone until we created a small hole, and then blow into it for fun. For a game of Ludo, we would draw a board on the ground and use seeds as our game pieces.
Comparing this simplicity with my grandchildren’s experience today, I find even a one-year-old is faced with an overwhelming array of choices. There’s an overload of options for every product, from food and personal hygiene to daily needs, fashion, and electronic gadgets—you name it! Today’s abundance of choices brings a decision-making burden that children of earlier generations rarely faced.
From Scarcity to Abundance
For adults, consumer decisions in cities were also straightforward due to limited availability of brands, products, and even types of goods. But with the boom in commercialization, the simple decision-making process of “what’s available” has transformed into a much more complicated question of “what’s best for me?” Today, in all sectors of the consumer industry, choices seem endless. But with this seemingly luxurious abundance comes a hidden cost: decision-making fatigue, with serious implications for mental and physical well-being.
The Shift from Scarcity to Overload
Fifty years ago, brands were few, and options limited. A single grocery store might carry only one or two types of soap, raw pulses, and a handful of cereal options. Life was simpler, and so was the shopping experience. Electronics were rare, mostly found in affluent households, and considered luxury items by most. Fashion was largely local, driven by neighbourhood tailors and women’s handiwork, with styles and brands seldom reaching beyond a city’s boundaries. With limited choices, people could make decisions quickly and with less stress, rarely contending with questions like “best fit” or “most value” among similar products.
As a child, I remember that my pants and shorts were often fashioned from my father’s old trousers. Siblings commonly exchanged their best shirts, and even as engineering students in hostels, most of us had only a limited wardrobe. When bell-bottom trousers came into fashion, many of us simply adjusted our existing pants to fit the trend by adding a triangular piece of fabric at the bottom.
I fondly remember the late eighties and nineties when a colleague jokingly remarked on the overload of TV advertisements for competing brands: “It seems that all research these days is cantered around the angle of a toothbrush!”
Commercialization, however, transformed this landscape. Global trade, industrial advancements, and marketing have led to an explosion of brands and product lines in virtually every sector. Grocery stores now carry dozens of cereal brands, each claiming unique benefits. Electronics stores offer countless phone models, televisions, and gadgets, with new products launching constantly. Cars come in every shape, colour, and customization imaginable, while fashion and cosmetics industries are driven by fast-moving trends that create an illusion of constant novelty and “need.” Consumers, particularly in urban areas, face not only more choices than ever but also pressure to make the “right” choices amid an overwhelming number of options.
The Impact of Too Many Choices on Mental Health
One would expect that a vast number of options would allow consumers to pick exactly what they want and feel more satisfied. However, research in psychology, particularly the work on “choice overload,” suggests otherwise. Psychologist Barry Schwartz’s book The Paradox of Choice explains that having too many choices can lead to anxiety, stress, and even decision paralysis, where people feel so overwhelmed by options that they avoid making a choice altogether.
Today, the pressure to choose the ‘perfect’ product or experience—whether it’s a phone, car, vacation destination, or even a meal—becomes mentally exhausting. Social media amplifies this pressure by constantly exposing people to others’ “best” choices and “perfect” lifestyles, making them feel that every choice reflects their identity or status. As a result, my adult children feel compelled to research extensively before making even simple purchases, hoping to find the best possible option. For example, if we were to choose a simple leisure destination, it now requires extensive research on airlines, car rentals, points of interest, and travel optimization. This constant evaluation and re-evaluation can lead to decision fatigue, where each new choice becomes more mentally draining than the last.
Physical Health Consequences of Choice Overload
Decision-making stress goes beyond mental strain, with direct effects on physical health. Chronic stress from choice overload can lead to elevated cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for our body’s stress response. Prolonged high cortisol levels can suppress the immune system, increase blood pressure, and heighten the risk of health conditions like heart disease, obesity, and digestive issues.
Moreover, people overwhelmed by choices often opt for convenient, quick-fix solutions—think fast food or impulse purchases—which can lead to poor dietary habits, financial strain, and feelings of regret or dissatisfaction. This paradox is particularly evident in food choices: urban consumers often have access to both high-quality health foods and ultra-processed snacks, and the sheer number of options can lead to poor dietary decisions fuelled by fatigue and stress.
How Marketing Exacerbates Choice Overload
Commercialization and marketing have amplified this problem by creating a sense of urgency and scarcity around products. Limited time offers, endless product comparisons, and influencer endorsements fuel a competitive atmosphere that convinces people they need to stay constantly informed. Terms like “new,” “limited edition,” and “exclusive” imply products are worth the hype, leading consumers to feel that they’re missing out if they don’t buy right away.
Marketers also use “choice architecture” to steer people towards premium options, knowing that when presented with too many choices, consumers are more likely to lean toward what seems popular or prestigious. This, in turn, cultivates an endless cycle of desire and dissatisfaction, as consumers rarely find a single product that completely meets their expectations in an environment of rapid product turnover and evolving trends.
Finding Balance: Toward More Mindful Consumption
Mindful Focus on Personal Needs
The commercialization-driven expansion of choice is here to stay, but finding strategies to reduce the stress of decision-making is essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Mindful consumption, for example, encourages individuals to focus on their own needs and preferences rather than being swayed by marketing tactics or the pressure to keep up with trends. Simplifying choices by sticking to brands or products that consistently meet personal needs can also reduce decision-making stress.
Set Boundaries on Decision Making Research
Another helpful strategy is setting boundaries on decision-making research. Instead of exhaustively comparing every available product, consumers can narrow their options by selecting two or three trustworthy sources, thereby streamlining their decisions. Setting time limits for certain purchases or focusing on fewer categories can also help preserve mental energy for more significant life decisions.
For example when I recently purchased a new car, I narrowed down my choice first by selecting three trustworthy brands that suited my needs and researched in those instead of getting into rigmarole of about a dozen of choices that are available today. I don’t claim that this would have given me the best possible choice. But I believe, I would have made a reasonably workable choice with which I can live for another seven to eight years.
The strategically limited boundaries also work well in day- to-day life. For example, my daughter and son-in-law started training their toddler by giving him only two to three toys at a time, rotating them every fifteen days. This approach keeps him from getting bored while helping him focus on learning without feeling overwhelmed by too many options. They also maintain a limited, carefully researched wardrobe with only the best brands and options. There is an increasing trend of reusing old clothes to help the environment, but such examples are still uncommon. Most people, particularly homemakers, often find themselves lost in product reviews and researching online just to make simple choices about what to eat and wear.
Conclusion
The journey from limited options to overwhelming choice is a defining feature of urban life over the past half-century. While increased choices theoretically provide more freedom, they also impose a significant burden, leading to stress, decision fatigue, and unintended health consequences. By recognizing the impact of choice overload and adopting mindful consumption strategies, consumers can better navigate today’s commercialization-driven abundance and regain a sense of control over their well-being.
In a world that constantly presents us with more, the real challenge lies in finding satisfaction with less.
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