Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Choice

By Glen Davis - posted Tuesday, 27 November 2018


Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in Australia. It's estimated over two million Australians, or 14.4%, of us suffer from anxiety, highlighting its prevalence. In 2017 it was estimated 260 million people worldwide experience anxiety. In America 18.1% of the population, or 42 million people, experience anxiety. In our modern world where so much is about choosing, does this contribute to anxiety?

Life now is like a trip to the supermarket. Scan the shelves, real or metaphorical, what /which product do I choose to meet my needs? Have I made the right choice? What happens if I haven't?

With the corporatisation, privatisation of so many services previously the domain of the state a substantial change has taken place. It's not seen as a right or a need to access these services, more so it's portrayed as a transaction. Transactions involve choice(s) where one is supposed to make an informed/rational choice. It sounds easy.

Advertisement

I've been around long enough to recall the introduction of the Purchaser-Provider split under the Kirner ALP Government in Victoria back in the 1990's. This market based approach to the provision of health care sped along significant changes in the field, including how health care is perceived as being delivered. This was all part of an accentuated commodifying of all around us.

In the health field workers no longer support/assist, patients, let alone people. The term patient originated from the Latin term Patior meaning I am suffering. Nowadays it seem those who attend health providers no longer attend because they are suffering, more so it seems to be about making an informed choice of which health care product you purchase.

The resultantlanguage has changed substantially. Over the last two decades those presenting for health care, especially non –inpatient services, are deemed as clients. Clients used to indicate a person buying a service; it pertained to a commercial transaction. Clients were those who went to prostitutes, lawyers or accountants. It reflects the nexus of cash exchange for a service.

However we're actually moving beyond calling health care recipients clients. Increasingly they're called consumers, with the term customers also becoming more prevalent. It reflects health care in all its aspects is little more than a product they purchase. With changes in areas like aged care and mental health, people, no, wrong word, consumers, are informed they now have more choice of which service they go to. They are not advised of who has the best trained staff, which service is best resourced, but hey, they still have choice.

Recent changes in how Aged Care services are funded are a further 'deform', to healthcare changes. Instead of older people accessing their supports through established health networks they're now informed they have choices of who can deliver their care. Bureaucrats under both the ALP and LNP governments sing the same tune re choice. Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum.

With the roll out of the much vaunted National Disability Insurance Scheme, (NDIS), its proponents trumpet the choice mantra. Those eligible for NDIS funding and supports are informed/ encouraged by the advertising about the NDIS givingthem more choice, & control, to get the supports they require, as well as accessing these supports. What does it mean in practice re having their goals, and needs, met?

Advertisement

Despite all the hyperbole about choice the beginnings of the scheme have not seen it without problems. There may be lots of rhetoric about choice but the implementation hasn't been all smooth sailing. Concerns around the level of funding, delays in rolling out the scheme in many areas, a tawdry process of reviewing/updating people's plans, all of these have had more impact than the choice mantra. Though the NDIS is working well in many aspects, around 20% of those receiving NDIS supports feel worse off, with a similar number feeling their situation hasn't changed. Has choice delivered the outcome these people wanted?

It's not just in the health field. When you're on the railway station the announcements made over the loud speakers address you as customers, no longer passengers. You don't travel on these vehicles, you choose to pay to use their product. Of course you may choose not to, but would that be the best choice?

With sporting events spectators are still, at this point of time, called spectators. But the engagement of spectators now has changed. In the days of yore people supported a team, or a few different sports: one summer, one winter. You watched YOUR team, wanting it to win. Your team was often based on where you lived, with its culture and identifiable traits and supports. You could pick another team for whatever reason; maybe you liked their mascot, or colours. Concepts like choice played little role in who you supported/watched. Now with changes in technology, and the directions of our world, that approach seems outmoded. Some people are making lots of money from our choice(s).

Spectators have the choice to buy an ever increasing range of merchandise that's linked to their team(s) of choice. For example you have the choice of access to exclusive seating in the stadium, giving you enhanced viewing, which if you're willing to pay, has you hoping you've made the right choice. Yes there's always been some differential re seating at sporting events, though it's now more pronounced, more packaged, as a choice you're happy to pay more for.

As consumers we have the choice of buying these products. The ubiquitous scarves, beanies, jumpers now are supplanted with hoodies, replica premiership cups, DVD's, even a Footy Feud card game and a framed honour roll print. The choices are endless. Is there any item you wouldn't chose to buy? But if you choose to buy a product you're not happy with, is anxiety a reflection of making the wrong choice?

Choice is often a term bandied around to attract non partisan spectators/supporters. Support our team (brand) and you have these choices; seats at our games, photos with the team, etc. An example readily coming to mind is in newer forms of sport like the cricketing Big Bash League. Recently established it doesn't have the history to have had long term supporters. It's marketed/advertised to reach out to the non-committed encouraging them to choose a side to follow. Asspectator sport has moved from happily watching sport because you love the sport or because of team loyalty, it's now primarily a form of entertainment,.

If you don't have A side or A sport, but numerous sides, not just local, but global, your list of choices is endless. If you'd been a Richmond supporter, though you liked Celtic in Scottish soccer, and/or the New England Patriots in the Gridiron your ability in following those teams were limited. Now with changes in technology you have the choice to watch their matches, to obtain their merchandise, lots of choices. How much is there to choose? Of course, all these choices involve the nexus of cash exchange. Following modern sport is very much akin any other aspect of the entertainment industry, where you have the choice of what product you chose to pay for. If you've chosen to pay for a sporting contest you end up being unhappy viewing, how do you then feel?

One can think of more examples of the term choice being used as a pernicious manner. To touch upon choice in a further context, the industrial 'deforms' introduced under John Howard contained the magic C word; choices. To many workers the choice under Work Choices was very stark: Accept the choice of having your wages/ conditions altered, or the choice is don't come Monday.

The philosopher Renata Salecl, currently professor @ Birkbeck College, University of London, speaks about the Tyranny of Choice. Salecl speaks of increased choice being a contributing factor to the levels of anxiety.

Salecl talks about the mantra of choice being a cause of discontent, about making a choice, then being dissatisfied it is the wrong choice, but how do we make a correct/better choice? Capitalism is happy for us to use the mantra of choice, to focus on our individual wants. No need to look at options, or co-operation, with a future premised on our common good.

People are confronted with the burden of choices, options. What do I chose: Have I chosen the right one; can someone help me choose: Why must I choose? Of course according to the mantra of choice when we're not happy it's simply because we made the wrong choice. Though we have choices that rhetorically mean we have control over our lives, reality is we don't always control the consequences of our choices. If our choice is wrong we can feel guilty, increasingly anxious.

All this coincides with an Australia where 30% of mortgage holders have mortgage stress as a result of entering into a mortgage. This is a land where we are ranked 23rd of 35 countries measured on the OECD inequality rankings. In 2015 Australia's debt to income ratio was 212%. How do these figures sit with the mantra of choice? Would stress, not choice, be a more applicable term?

In our contemporary world where the sole nexus seems is about cash exchange for benefit, choice(s) is oft the mantra behind this. Should we perceive mental health disorders like anxiety as being an inevitable outcome of this? If so, is this as far as we can go? Is there not a better way forward for humanity?

What did Devo say about freedom of choice?

Freedom of choice is what you've got

Freedom from choice is what you want

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

6 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Glen Davis has post graduate qualifications in Humanities and Health Sciences and is a freelance, writer, blogger and broadcaster.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Glen Davis

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Glen Davis
Article Tools
Comment 6 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy