The cover story in my latest issue of Newsweek is an article titled "I Can't Think!" It is about information overload, and how too many choices sometimes result in decisions that make "less and less sense." Decisions become harder if the amount of information you have to juggle is great, and that can result in a "total failure to decide."
While reading the article I thought, I understand perfectly. When I go to the grocery store with Lou Ann in her small midwestern town I am overwhelmed in the orange juice section (to give just one illustration). Several brands are for sale. Each one has orange juice in glass bottles, plastic jugs, & cardboard containers. There's regular size, family size, and lunch box size. Some are from concentrate...others are not. I can choose from no pulp, some pulp, or lots of pulp. Some varieties have calcium added...others have vitamin D. Some have both. Then there are varieties with citric acid...or ascorbic acid...or Omega-3 fatty acids...or battery acid (just checking to see if you're still reading).
The article reminded me that I was out of orange juice, so I put the magazine down, got on my bike and rode down to the Community Store. The decision was easy. I bought the one and only variety in the cooler -- 59 fluid ounces of 100% pure & natural orange juice, no pulp. It was delicious.
I never did finish the article. I was getting a brain freeze from too much information.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of a 1911 wedding on Portsmouth Island. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news022111.htm.
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Mmmm...now I want orange juice!
ReplyDeleteMarketing 101 companies pay the big chains for shelf space. ever see the soda guy stocking the shelves or the bread company guy or the cookie guy stocking his brand hmmm but as a smaller one owner shop ..how does the product get delivered to his store now that would be a test; how do the items get on the shelf and er How long has that item sat on the shelf????? can you read the sell by date? those are the bits of information to consider --how fresh is the product you are looking at?? that would help with variety of choice.If the choice is a white bread you wonder about or a five grain whole wheat loaf don't get between me and my fiber Praise the lord
ReplyDeleteYes, Philip! The KISS principle. And when us mainlanders are faced with where to visit--of all the options in the world--we KISS and choose Ocracoke.
ReplyDeleteLife is good when the livin' is easy!
Heather
Wait a minute pure and natural ??? last time I checked the oranges on the tree they all have PULP . Another move on madison avenues part for us to be wary of things good for our digestion system
ReplyDeleteorange juice give me heartburn :P
ReplyDelete