يقول المثل الشعبي القديم: «إذا حبيت تحيّره.. خيّره». والمعنى المقصود هنا هو أن كثرة الاختيارات المبالغ فيها تسبّب الحيرة وتجعل القرار مسألة معقدة جداً. ولكن يبدو أن هذا من أساسيات الاقتصاد الجديد. تقديم كم مهول من الاختيارات في كل خدمة وكل سلعة. قديماً كان طلب شراء كوب من القهوة مسألة في غاية البساطة، فالاختيار كان واضحاً ومباشراً. قهوة سادة، أو يضاف لها سكر أو حليب، فقط لا غير. اليوم تؤكد سلسلة مقاهي إحدى الشركات العالمية أن لديها 86 ألف خيار من المشاريب المقدمة لديها. نعم الرقم المذكور صحيح. وهذه الخيارات تشمل النكهات والأحجام وأصناف المشاريب بين البارد منها والساخن.
ولكن هناك رأياً آخر مخالفاً تماماً، وهو الذي يقدّمه المؤلف الأمريكي آلان موراي في كتابه «كنوز من الاختيارات»، كيف يضع الاقتصاد الجديد الاختيار في يدك والمال في جيبك. يقدّم المؤلف وجهة نظر مهمة ولافتة يدافع فيها عن مبدأ الاختيار وحق المستهلك فيه وأن الاختيار كحق هو بوابة المنافسة المفتوحة التي توسع قاعدة الفرص وتخفض الأسعار لصالح العميل مما يكسر أي احتكار ممكن.
ويضيف موراي جملة قوية وهي أن اقتصاد اليوم هو غير اقتصاد الآباء والأجداد ولذلك لا تجب المقارنة بينهما.
وعلى الجانب الآخر المقابل لطرح موراي، هناك الكتاب الشهير «معضلة الاختيار» للكاتب الأمريكي الشهير باري شوارتز، والذي يقول فيه إن كثرة الاختيارات تؤدي إلى عدم القناعة والقلق والاضطراب والاكتئاب بدلاً من الحرية. ولا أملك هنا إلا أن أستذكر مقولة رائد صناعة السيارات في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية الصناعي الشهير هنري فورد عندما بدأ في تصنيع سياراته الشهيرة النموذج تي بأعداد تجارية، وقال: أنا على استعداد أن أوفر لكم أي لون تطلبونه طالما كان أسود.
وطبعاً مع توفر وزيادة الاختيار كان من البديهي والمنطقي أن يحصل تغيير ويصبح الاقتصاد اقتصاد وفرة. وهو ما وضّحه بشكل رائع الكاتب الأمريكي ستيوارت تشايس في كتابه الذي يحمل العنوان ذاتي الشرح «اقتصاد الوفرة»، والذي يقول فيه باختصار وبشكل مباشر إن اقتصاد اليوم هو اقتصاد مبني على الوفرة والتي تولد الهدر، ولم يعد كما كان قديماً اقتصاد الندرة والمبني على توفير الحاجة بالقدر المطلوب.
وفي النهاية وبالرغم من الحفاوة والسعادة التي يستشعرها صاحب القرار في الاستهلاك إلا أن التكلفة النهائية المرتفعة ستكون فاتورة باهظة الثمن بشكل مباشر وغير مباشر.
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
The old popular saying goes: "If you want to confuse him, give him choices." The intended meaning here is that an excessive number of choices can lead to confusion and make decision-making a very complicated matter. However, this seems to be one of the fundamentals of the new economy: offering an overwhelming amount of choices in every service and every product. In the past, ordering a cup of coffee was a very simple matter, as the choice was clear and straightforward. Black coffee, or with sugar or milk, nothing more. Today, a chain of cafes from a global company claims to have 86,000 options for drinks available. Yes, the mentioned number is correct. These options include flavors, sizes, and types of drinks, both cold and hot.
However, there is another completely opposing opinion, presented by American author Alan Murray in his book "Treasures of Choice," which discusses how the new economy puts choice in your hands and money in your pocket. The author presents an important and striking perspective defending the principle of choice and the consumer's right to it, arguing that choice as a right is the gateway to open competition that expands the base of opportunities and lowers prices in favor of the customer, thereby breaking any possible monopoly.
Murray adds a strong statement that today's economy is different from that of our parents and grandparents, and therefore, comparisons between the two should not be made.
On the other side of Murray's argument, there is the famous book "The Paradox of Choice" by the well-known American author Barry Schwartz, who states that an abundance of choices leads to dissatisfaction, anxiety, turmoil, and depression instead of freedom. Here, I can only recall the saying of the pioneer of the automotive industry in the United States, the famous industrialist Henry Ford, when he began manufacturing his famous Model T cars in commercial quantities, stating: "I am willing to provide you with any color you want, as long as it is black."
Of course, with the availability and increase of choices, it was natural and logical for a change to occur, transforming the economy into one of abundance. This was wonderfully illustrated by American writer Stewart Chase in his self-explanatory book "The Economy of Abundance," where he succinctly and directly states that today's economy is based on abundance, which generates waste, and is no longer like the old economy of scarcity based on providing needs to the required extent.
In the end, despite the warmth and happiness felt by the decision-maker in consumption, the high final cost will be a hefty bill, both directly and indirectly.
However, there is another completely opposing opinion, presented by American author Alan Murray in his book "Treasures of Choice," which discusses how the new economy puts choice in your hands and money in your pocket. The author presents an important and striking perspective defending the principle of choice and the consumer's right to it, arguing that choice as a right is the gateway to open competition that expands the base of opportunities and lowers prices in favor of the customer, thereby breaking any possible monopoly.
Murray adds a strong statement that today's economy is different from that of our parents and grandparents, and therefore, comparisons between the two should not be made.
On the other side of Murray's argument, there is the famous book "The Paradox of Choice" by the well-known American author Barry Schwartz, who states that an abundance of choices leads to dissatisfaction, anxiety, turmoil, and depression instead of freedom. Here, I can only recall the saying of the pioneer of the automotive industry in the United States, the famous industrialist Henry Ford, when he began manufacturing his famous Model T cars in commercial quantities, stating: "I am willing to provide you with any color you want, as long as it is black."
Of course, with the availability and increase of choices, it was natural and logical for a change to occur, transforming the economy into one of abundance. This was wonderfully illustrated by American writer Stewart Chase in his self-explanatory book "The Economy of Abundance," where he succinctly and directly states that today's economy is based on abundance, which generates waste, and is no longer like the old economy of scarcity based on providing needs to the required extent.
In the end, despite the warmth and happiness felt by the decision-maker in consumption, the high final cost will be a hefty bill, both directly and indirectly.
