In the sales world, there’s a technique called “alternative closing.” It consists of offering the customer only two options and asking them to choose the one they prefer. Interestingly, it works quite well because it assumes the person will make the purchase, so the focus shifts entirely to the choice.
The customer isn’t overwhelmed by a multitude of options, which often leads to analysis paralysis, but simply has to choose the most convenient alternative. The secret lies in the fact that the salesperson has already guided the person toward the purchase, which is what matters most to them, since the choice between A or B is irrelevant.
Why am I telling you all this?
Because the same thing happens in real life. In fact, it happens to us all the time. It happens when we go to vote. When we have to choose a service plan. When we’re exposed to media narratives. When we go shopping. Or even when someone in our inner circle puts us in a difficult position.
And when that happens, they make us believe we can choose freely. But true freedom doesn’t lie in choosing between several pre-made options, but in creating what we desire.
The psychological trap of predetermined choices and the illusion of freedom to choose
At first glance, having choices seems like a privilege – or at least we’ve been led to believe so. Being able to choose feeds our ego, makes us feel like we’re in control of our lives. But when the ego kicks in, reason shuts down.
A study conducted at Northwestern University found that when we receive praise that feeds our ego, we tend to reaffirm our decisions – even if they are dubious or downright bad.
On the other hand, when we’re given a limited number of options, our minds start weighing pros and cons, considering risks, imagining scenarios, and anticipating consequences (but only for the alternatives offered). This distracts us from what we truly want. Instead of asking ourselves, “What would make me happy?” or “What do I really want?”, we end up asking ourselves, “Which of these options is the most suitable?”
We become so focused on avoiding mistakes when choosing between the options presented to us that we forget to explore our true desires. In other words, the act of choosing itself reinforces the illusion of freedom, but in reality, it can distance us from our true interests and needs.
Freedom managed… by someone else
Herbert Marcuse, in “One-Dimensional Man” (a book I recommend you read if you haven’t already because, among other things, it is considered one of the most subversive works of the 20th century), points out that advanced industrial society creates a subtle but omnipresent form of control that integrates people into its system and eliminates all traces of independence.
Through technology, consumerism, and mass culture, people are led to accept societal needs and desires as their own, without being aware of the inherent repression. “Domination disguised as opulence and freedom extends to all spheres of public and private life, stifling all genuine opposition,” he noted.
A false pluralism is promoted by disseminating ideas, institutions, politicians, journalists, corporations, doctors… but in reality, they all serve the same machinery that produces a hypnotic discourse. As a result, the apparent “freedom of thought” and choice in industrial society is actually a false plurality of byproducts integrated into the system.
However, as Marcuse pointed out, “Choosing from a wide variety of goods and services does not mean freedom if these sustain an alienated life.” The individual, transformed into a consumer, can choose between different variations of a product, trip, political leaning, lifestyle… but no longer questions the sources from which those choices arise.
The fact that we submit to the alternatives offered to us and accept them willingly “Does not establish autonomy, it only proves the effectiveness of the controls.” Ultimately, as the philosopher warned: “The free choice of masters does not abolish either masters or slaves.”
Therefore, “freedom” of choice is, in reality, a form of social control because:
- It limits the sphere of the imaginable
- It confines us to pre-designed ways of life
- It hinders the invention of truly original projects
Having the option to choose between “A” and “B” to satisfy needs created by a system is an apparent freedom, but not a genuine one. The false sense of control conveyed by these pre-designed options (always created by someone else) keeps us focused on the superficial dilemma while obscuring the true need.
How to break out of that loop and regain the freedom to create?
Escaping this pattern is difficult, especially because we have become accustomed to living in what Marcuse termed “A comfortable absence of freedom.” However, it is also imperative because this “Managed freedom” not only suppresses critical thinking but also severs our connection to our deepest self, the one that desires and creates.
A big step is to turn off the autopilot of comparison. Before weighing the pros and cons of the options, it’s worth asking yourself:
- Do I really want this?
- Or do I want something beyond these options?
This exercise activates self-reflection. Instead of letting others decide our choices, we pay attention to our internal needs and values. In this way, choice ceases to be a trap and becomes a tool for creative authenticity.
Remember that true freedom lies not in choosing, but in creating and building what you truly desire, beyond what society pushes you to desire.
References:
Galinsky, A. D. et. Al. (2008) The promise and peril of self-affirmation in de-escalation of commitment. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes; 107(1): 1-14.
Marcuse, H. (1968) El hombre unidimensional. Planeta Agostini: Barcelona.
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