--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True choice requires that a person have…" description: "\"“True choice requires that a person have the ability to choose an option and not be prevented from choosing it by any external force, meaning that a sy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_true-choice-requires-that-a-person-have_1111625.png" --- # True choice requires that a person have the ability to… ![“True choice requires that a person have the ability to choose an option and not be prevented from choosing it by any external force, meaning that a system tending too far toward either extreme will limit People’s opportunities. Also, both extremes can produce additional problems in practice. Aside…” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_true-choice-requires-that-a-person-have_1111625.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_true-choice-requires-that-a-person-have_1111625.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_true-choice-requires-that-a-person-have_1111625.png) > ““True choice requires that a person have the ability to choose an option and not be prevented from choosing it by any external force, meaning that a system tending too far toward either extreme will limit People’s opportunities. Also, both extremes can produce additional problems in practice. Aside from the fact that a lack of “freedom to” can lead to privation, suffering, and death for those who can’t provide for themselves, it can also lead to a de facto plutocracy. The extremely wealthy can come to wield disproportionate power, enabling them to avoid punishment for illegal practices or to change the law itself in ways that perpetuate their advantages at the cost of others, a charge often levied against the “robber baron” industrialists of the late nineteenth century. A lack of “freedom from,” on the other hand, can encourage people to do less work than they’re capable of since they know their needs will be met, and it may stifle innovation and entrepreneurship because people receive few or no additional material benefits for exerting additional effort. Moreover, a government must have extensive power over its people to implement such a system, and as can be seen in the actions of the majority of communist governments in the past, power corrupts.”” [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing freedom to choose and freedom from coercion is essential; extremes create inequality, stifle effort, and risk authoritarian abuse. **In simple terms:** Both types of freedom must be balanced to avoid oppression and complacency. Key Takeaway Seek policies that protect choice while ensuring basic security. Themes freedom choice inequality government power social responsibility Mood reflective critical analytical Type philosophical political economic When to use this quote - welfare design - education reform - corporate regulation - civil liberty advocacy Key Concepts libertarianism political theory economic disparity Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect individual choice without enabling wealth-driven power? - What safeguards prevent government overreach while ensuring basic needs? A Different Perspective Extreme control can lead to loss of personal agency and innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Plutocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plutocracy/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) [Robber baron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robber-baron/) ## Related quotes > [“The challenges we face when it comes to identity and choice exist precisely because choosing is not only a private activity but a social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-challenges-we-face-when-it-comes-to-identity-and-choice-exist/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/happiness-is-a-choice-that-requires-effort-at-times/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“true choice requires that a person have the ability to choose an option and not be prevented from choosing it by any external force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-choice-requires-that-a-person-have-the-ability-to-choose-an-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The right choice often requires hard work and self-discipline, or self-sacrifice; don't be enticed by apparent short-cuts that seems right but end in tragedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anikor-daniel/the-right-choice-often-requires-hard-work-and-self-discipline-or-self/) [ANIKOR Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anikor-daniel/) > [“On the one hand, freedom of speech guarantees a lack of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/on-the-one-hand-freedom-of-speech-guarantees-a-lack-of-freedom/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [There was a huge lack of freedom in communist regimes, but at least they had humanity at the center of their thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-tsipras/there-was-a-huge-lack-of-freedom-in-communist-regimes-but-at-least/) [Alexis Tsipras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-tsipras/) > [Even in the game there lurks a lack of freedom; even in a game is a trap for the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/even-in-the-game-there-lurks-a-lack-of-freedom-even-in-a-game-is-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Men who are scandalized at the lack of freedom in Russia do not ask themselves how real is liberty among the poor, the weak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/men-who-are-scandalized-at-the-lack-of-freedom-in-russia-do-not-ask/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe because in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/sixty-years-of-western-nations-excusing-and-accommodating-the-lack-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If your nature is infinite awareness trapped in a body, suddenly there's a lack of happiness, a lack of freedom. No matter what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-your-nature-is-infinite-awareness-trapped-in-a-body-suddenly-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“If a woman was not free, it could be for two reasons. Her lack of freedom could be inflicted, in which case it constituted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-rowley/if-a-woman-was-not-free-it-could-be-for-two-reasons-her-lack-of/) Hazel Rowley > [Ye have locked yerselves up in cages of fear and, behold, do ye now complain that ye lack FREEDOM!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/ye-have-locked-yerselves-up-in-cages-of-fear-and-behold-do-ye-now/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [It's true that in Cuba there are double standards, there's opportunism, and there is a lack of freedom in some ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-perez/it-s-true-that-in-cuba-there-are-double-standards-there-s-opportunism/) [Fernando Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-perez/) > [What's holding us back from being free is fear. Whether it be fear of those on the outside who don't understand queer people or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violet-chachki/what-s-holding-us-back-from-being-free-is-fear-whether-it-be-fear-of/) [Violet Chachki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violet-chachki/) > [“To a Western observer, schooled in the theory and practice of Western freedom, it is precisely the lack of freedom—freedom of the mind from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/to-a-western-observer-schooled-in-the-theory-and-practice-of-western/) [Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/) ## More by Sheena Iyengar > [“Personal happiness is always a very serious matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/personal-happiness-is-always-a-very-serious-matter/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [“move. For one thing, you’re going to start paying more attention. Yes, perhaps you’ll sometimes have a crazed, wild-eyed look, but that’s a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/move-for-one-thing-you-re-going-to-start-paying-more-attention-yes/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [What we share with animals is a desire for choice. It's a desire to have control over our life and a desire to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/what-we-share-with-animals-is-a-desire-for-choice-it-s-a-desire-to/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [You know, you take a little infant and you turn on the music mobile on their crib and you find that if you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/you-know-you-take-a-little-infant-and-you-turn-on-the-music-mobile-on/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I went home and they seemed... my parents seemed normal. They didn't seem to feel like somehow they had been victims of some Nazi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-went-home-and-they-seemed-my-parents-seemed-normal-they-didn-t-seem/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The less control people had over their work, the higher their blood pressure during work hours. Moreover, blood pressure at home was unrelated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-less-control-people-had-over-their-work-the-higher-their-blood/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Consumers presented with six choices on an item were twice as likely to buy as consumers overwhelmed with 24 varieties of the same item.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/consumers-presented-with-six-choices-on-an-item-were-twice-as-likely/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The quality of health care continues to improve, and people are living longer, but these developments mean that we're likely to eventually find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-quality-of-health-care-continues-to-improve-and-people-are-living/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-key-to-getting-the-most-from-choice-is-to-be-choosy-about-choosing/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I used to go to this store called Draeger's and you had a little bit of that same feeling because this was a store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-used-to-go-to-this-store-called-draeger-s-and-you-had-a-little-bit/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/balancing-hopes-desires-and-an-appreciating-of-the-possibilities-with/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [So gut tells you "How do I feel about this right now?" It doesn't tell me how I feel about it tomorrow or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/so-gut-tells-you-how-do-i-feel-about-this-right-now-it-doesn-t-tell/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I put out a good 10 different types of drinks for them and they just said, "Oh, okay, so it's just one choice." One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-put-out-a-good-10-different-types-of-drinks-for-them-and-they-just/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Like, people are less likely to invest in their retirement when they have more options in their 401K plans than when they have fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/like-people-are-less-likely-to-invest-in-their-retirement-when-they/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) [Explore all 158 Sheena Iyengar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## 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 > [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 > [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": "“True choice requires that a person have the ability to choose an option and not be prevented from choosing it by any external force, meaning that a system tending too far toward either extreme will limit People’s opportunities. Also, both extremes can produce additional problems in practice. Aside from the fact that a lack of “freedom to” can lead to privation, suffering, and death for those who can’t provide for themselves, it can also lead to a de facto plutocracy. The extremely wealthy can come to wield disproportionate power, enabling them to avoid punishment for illegal practices or to change the law itself in ways that perpetuate their advantages at the cost of others, a charge often levied against the “robber baron” industrialists of the late nineteenth century. A lack of “freedom from,” on the other hand, can encourage people to do less work than they’re capable of since they know their needs will be met, and it may stifle innovation and entrepreneurship because people receive few or no additional material benefits for exerting additional effort. 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