In response to Renata Salecl: The Tyranny of Choice:
You wrote “Lacanian.” I don’t know if that’s some sort of Anglicization of the original Norse or what.
There is of course one small truth in what she says: The power to choose brings with it accountability, and a sense of accountability brings with it a sense of anxiety about choices.
But as you say, what is the choice? A pet is not very stressed; his master chooses his food and the timing of his walkies. He needs not worry at all about having chosen well, nor about choices not made.
On the other hand, he’s a dumb animal on the leash of a master.
I get the sense from this woman that she treats a lot of neurotics (and, I’d imagine, is neurotic herself) and therefore seeks to treat neurosis by changing all of society so that neurotics aren’t so stressy.
Which is another feature of our increasingly hideous society– the idea that we will all have to give ups some freedom in order to insulate a few from such dangerous things.