The Dilemma of Options
April 24, 2024
Writer: Deepa Ramesh
Editor: Lexie Meltzer
I've come to realize that we prefer dwelling in possibilities where our imagination serves as an invisible paintbrush, beautifying the unknown while devaluing the present.
This might be a consequence of living in a world oversaturated with options. As a college student set to graduate in the following year, I'm all too accustomed to pondering the myriad of ways my degree can shape my future. But to be completely honest, every new possibility I discover is equally as stupefying as it is reassuring. How do the options compare to one another? In the long run, will they benefit or harm me? Will my future self look back to this moment, incredulous and frustrated? 'Wow, Deepa, how could you have been such an idiot? What a foolish way to waste your life.' Unfortunately, there is no easy way to quell these doubts. But at the same time, if every question had an uncomplicated answer, there would be no need for discourse or debate.
Ultimately, the dilemma of options is polarizing because every generation has a different story to tell.
My parents never had the opportunity to question the validity of their degree choices simply because their career options were limited. As a result, they spent their college years wholeheartedly dedicating themselves to their “chosen” paths without questioning whether or not their efforts were valuable or personally fulfilling. Although they suffered the disadvantage of being unable to pursue their passions or bolster their creativity, they experienced less stress and discovered their own way of cultivating joy in their work.
On the other hand, our generation has the entire world laced at our fingertips. We are constantly inundated with a plethora of opportunities before we can even begin to think about what is the most logical or practical decision. As a result, we throw ourselves into dozens of careers or fields of study, hoping to find pleasure and a sense of accomplishment. Over time, however, the allure disappears; our former exhilaration becomes replaced by boredom. Rather than sticking with our paths, we decide to abandon them, chasing after another goal simply because we have the ability to do so. Obviously, this is beneficial in some situations. After all, our interests and preferences change over time, and we shouldn't feel tethered to something that brings unhappiness to our lives. However, in many cases, we don't give ourselves the space to be resilient and confront obstacles when they arise because an easy escape is always available.
Nevertheless, I acknowledge that an abundance of options gifts us with the ability to blend our passions with our professional lives. Even more, we can find value in the interconnectedness between specialties, bolstering the number of individuals with diverse skills... After all, none of the world's grandest innovations have ever been born from a vacuum.
Having many options comes with its advantages and disadvantages, and this internal debate will surely evolve in the following years as our universities and workforces do so too. Regardless, we must avoid viewing this topic with a myopic lens and understand the subjectivity that dictates decision-making. After all, sticking it out may be better than being crushed by the choice overload that bedevils our society.
