People are a paradox. On the one hand, we want to control our lives and make our own decisions. On the other hand, we yearn for freedom and less responsibility. Our compromise is to accept decisions that others have packaged for us into bundles.
A graph showing the baby boom looks like a snake digesting a pig. The "bulge" of Americans is not only large; its members are bonded by life experiences: civil and womens' rights, the environmental movement, and of course, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Through sheer numbers, the boomers will impact economics and society for at least another 40 years.
A graph showing the number of decisions each of us makes would show a bulge starting in the 1600's. The decision boom was triggered by the invention and widespread adoption of communications technologies and greater literacy, as well as the dramatic expansion of scientific knowledge, greater individual freedoms, and the consumer culture.
The age of individual decision-making is ending, at the same time many baby boomers are living longer, and would appear to have more to decide.
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