--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Given that people would often choose not…" description: "\"“Given that people would often choose not to choose, it is hard to see why freedom lovers should compel choice even though people (freely and voluntari..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/richard-h-thaler-8113_choice_given-that-people-would-often-choose-not_2039124.jpg" --- # Given that people would often choose not to choose, it is… ![“Given that people would often choose not to choose, it is hard to see why freedom lovers should compel choice even though people (freely and voluntarily) resist it. If we ask the waiter to select a good bottle of wine to go with our dinner, we will not be happy if he says that we should just…” quote by Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/richard-h-thaler-8113_choice_given-that-people-would-often-choose-not_2039124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/richard-h-thaler-8113_choice_given-that-people-would-often-choose-not_2039124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/richard-h-thaler-8113_choice_given-that-people-would-often-choose-not_2039124.jpg) > ““Given that people would often choose not to choose, it is hard to see why freedom lovers should compel choice even though people (freely and voluntarily) resist it. If we ask the waiter to select a good bottle of wine to go with our dinner, we will not be happy if he says that we should just choose for ourselves!”” [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that freedom should not force people to choose, as compulsory choice can feel coercive and unsatisfying. **In simple terms:** Freedom shouldn't compel choice; choice can be coercive. Key Takeaway Respect autonomy, avoid forced decisions. Themes freedom autonomy choice theory Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - marketing strategies - public policy - personal decisions Key Concepts behavioral economics voluntary action Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to limit choice? - How does forced choice affect satisfaction? 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The Big Apple recently adopted a law that requires fast-food restaurants with at least fifteen outlets in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/10-calories-count-in-new-york-city-the-big-apple-recently-adopted-a/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“I began to have deviant thoughts about economic theory while I was a graduate student”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/i-began-to-have-deviant-thoughts-about-economic-theory-while-i-was-a/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“specific values to objects. When they have to give something up, they are hurt more than they are pleased if they acquire the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/specific-values-to-objects-when-they-have-to-give-something-up-they/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. 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Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“When in a cold state, we do not appreciate how much our desires and our behavior will be altered when we are “under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/when-in-a-cold-state-we-do-not-appreciate-how-much-our-desires-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Bargains and Rip-Offs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/bargains-and-rip-offs/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“you want to nudge people into socially desirable behavior, do not, by any means, let them know that their current actions are better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/you-want-to-nudge-people-into-socially-desirable-behavior-do-not-by/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“A nudge, as we will use the term, is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/a-nudge-as-we-will-use-the-term-is-any-aspect-of-the-choice/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“What makes the bias particularly pernicious is that we all recognize this bias in others but not in ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/what-makes-the-bias-particularly-pernicious-is-that-we-all-recognize/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“people who are threatened with big losses and have a chance to break even will be unusually willing to take risks,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/people-who-are-threatened-with-big-losses-and-have-a-chance-to-break/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) [Explore all 84 Richard H. Thaler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Given that people would often choose not to choose, it is hard to see why freedom lovers should compel choice even though people (freely and voluntarily) resist it. 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