The last chapter looked analytically and historically at how a society dominated by choice – a consumer society – developed, and where it came from. This chapter provides a range of examples of how that society and, in particular, choice mechanisms work; or, rather, examples of how they work inadequately or perversely. By using examples it does not seek to be exhaustive, or to condemn the consumer society as comprehensively pernicious, but rather to indicate some of its limitations which, as it has been argued throughout, is a matter that choice as an ideology naturally ignores.

There is a very wide range of circumstances in which choice produces adverse rather than benign social consequences. We have already seen in Chapter Two how this can happen at an individual level, but at a social level the problems arise more from the outcomes of using choice where it should not be, or where it should be constrained. Sometimes, as we shall see, these consequences are an outcome of choice as an institution – choice as the mechanism for deciding what happens rather than some other means – and sometimes the adverse consequences are the result of the power of choice as an ideology – people are encouraged to take liberties. Sometimes the impact of choice is plainly evident in negative outcomes, notably where it is inappropriately used in markets, and sometimes the impact is on culture, where some may regret changes in a way of life now more influenced by choice, and others may not, perhaps because they have been so influenced. This reminds us of a point made earlier: attitudes to choice vary very considerably between individuals. Some people welcome choice despite its complexities and risks (on which see more below), while others may find it burdensome.

Does choice overwhelm or empower?

Simply stated this is the first example of the socially problematic nature of choice: it may overwhelm rather than enable. We shall see in more detail in Part Two that this can take a nasty form at certain crisis points – reproduction, health care, partnership, divorce, child care and custody, for example. It also arises in the ordinary consumer market.