I'm starting to think having a choice (for most of us) is a bad thing. . .

The problem with choice is that far too many people make bad ones. And I'm not talking about the occasional bad choice that is the result of, for example, the initial bad choice of "having one too many" which in turn leads to a host of other subsequent bad choices (- - - she started off as a six when you where sober, she's still a six now that you're tore off. - - - or the trip to White Castle at 3:45am). Neither am our talking about limited choice, for example having a limited budget for a car purchase and your choice, as a grown ass man was to purchase a Toyota Solara ( - - - dude, that's a chick car and there where plenty of other quality choices in the $20,000 range). Nor am I talking about the choice that you make when you really have no choice at all, for example, doing what you'd rather do versus doing what your wife wants to do (- - - you make yourself believe that you're making the decision when the truth is you know you didn't have a choice in the first place).

I'm talking about real choice. The type of choice that despite it's tremendous and significant impact, there's no one standing there pointing a gun or a slingshot full of guilt at your head encouraging you to make the right choice. We as the people conglomerate repeatedly make bad choices in significant situations where the result of those choices will have a bearing on the level of happiness we achieve in the forthcoming years. Significant situations being the operative phrase here. I'm not talking the decision one makes to choose skinny jeans when skinny isn't something they've been familiar with since considering passing on the skinny option at Potbelly's (- - - or being a man and thinking that skinny jeans are even a possibility. It's actually selfish, like wearing tighty whiteys or bikini underwear. What about your future kids you selfish bastard?).

Choices like the choice to become an unwed mother (- - - 40% of all births in 2007 where to unwed mothers. 2007 was also the year we broke the record for number of babies born in a year of our nation's history). And before the zealots get started, I'm not talking about the choice to have or not have the child, I'm specifically adressing the choice to not protect yourself from the chance of becoming an unwed mother either through birth control or abstinence. That's a real choice.

Choices like the choice to commit or take part in a violent crime (- - - violent crime from 1995 to 2005 has increased 6%. other crimes - - - property, drug, public order types - - have decreased. guess criminals have decided to step their game up). And these too are perhaps the subsequent result of the prior choice to not pursue a life which would deter one from performing a violent crime for fear of losing or jeopardizing all they have attained and accomplished.

Or perhaps even more pressing choices. Like the choice to press down on the ballot chad next to George Bush's name (- - - this is self explanatory and doesn't require additional literal imagery or statistical support)

Of course I'm being a bit fecicious but the point is valid. If choice is all we have (- - - and through God's grace is what seperates us from other multi-cellular organisms on his/her beautiful planet), why do we not appreciate and utilize this tool of overarching impact with more carefulness and tact?

If there was a choice that you could get a "do-over" on and make with more wisdom and consideration of how it would impact the level of happiness you attain in your present and future, what would that choice be?