A Destiny Of Choice

In the twentieth century, Americans thought of the United States as a land of opportunity and equality. To what extent and for whom this was true was, of course, a matter of debate, however especially during the Cold War, many Americans clung to the patriotic conviction that America was the land of the free. At the same time, another national ideal emerged that was far less contentious, that arguably came to subsume the ideals of freedom, opportunity, and equality, and that eventually embodied an unspoken consensus about what constitutes the good society in a postmodern setting. This was the ideal of choice, broadly understood as the proposition that the good society provides individuals with the power to shape the contours of their lives in ways that suit their personal interests, idiosyncrasies, and tastes. By the closing decades of the century, Americans were widely agreed that theirs was—or at least should be—the land of choice. In A Destiny of Choice?, David Blanke and David Steigerwald bring together important scholarship on the tension between two leading interpretations of modern American consumer culture. That modern consumerism reflects the social, cultural, economic, and political changes that accompanied the country’s transition from a local, producer economy dominated by limited choices and restricted credit to a national consumer marketplace based on the individual selection of mass-produced, mass-advertised, and mass-distributed goods. This debate is central to the economic difficulties seen in the United States today.

In the twentieth century, Americans thought of the United States as a land of opportunity and equality. To what extent and for whom this was true was, of course, a matter of debate, however especially during the Cold War, many Americans clung to the patriotic conviction that America was the land of the free. At the same time, another national ideal emerged that was far less contentious, that arguably came to subsume the ideals of freedom, opportunity, and equality, and that eventually embodied an unspoken consensus about what constitutes the good society in a postmodern setting. This was the ideal of choice, broadly understood as the proposition that the good society provides individuals with the power to shape the contours of their lives in ways that suit their personal interests, idiosyncrasies, and tastes. By the closing decades of the century, Americans were widely agreed that theirs was--or at least should be--the land of choice. In A Destiny of Choice?, David Blanke and David Steigerwald bring together important scholarship on the tension between two leading interpretations of modern American consumer culture. That modern consumerism reflects the social, cultural, economic, and political changes that accompanied the country's transition from a local, producer economy dominated by limited choices and restricted credit to a national consumer marketplace based on the individual selection of mass-produced, mass-advertised, and mass-distributed goods. This debate is central to the economic difficulties seen in the United States today.

It is sensitive to those values pertaining to what can be bought and sold but is blind to others - such as the integrity of the natural world and the quality of human relationships - that cannot be turned into commodities. It is impervious to the costs of tearing apart the larger wholes - families, communities, the biosphere - that are vital to the quality of our lives. While these shortcomings are known to mainstream economics, their vital importance has not been recognized because economics takes too static a perspective. Systematic errors wreak damage over time. The Illusion of Choice, by putting our economic lives in a social evolutionary perspective, illuminates the defects of the market ideology that defends the uncontrolled play of market forces. On the basis of that analysis, this work also provides the outlines of a program by which we can make the market system a better instrument of the full range of human values

What makes an opportunity beneficial to people around the world is nothing but the quality of the decision they make when that opportunity comes. By reading this book, God is bringing you to the finest moment you will ever have and desire no matter your dreams. Without a guided and determined choice to follow your dreams and the things you strongly believe in, you will never be able to make any meaningful progress despite those struggles. The invitation to come out of obscurity and out of the crowd is for everyone, but only those who are armed with the best information and determination will be able to take advantage of such invitation to impart their future positively. Your choice sets the stage for the future you dream and desire. It sets the table for you to sit with amazing people doing amazing things that bring you joy. Your entire life is dependent on the choices you make. Your choice affects you, your generation and your nation. The choices you make now determine the life you have tomorrow. This book will give you many examples to follow in making a good choice. It is about your original purpose and God's best plans for your life now and in the future. In these pages, you will discover the choices that will help you reach your rightful place in life. You will find motivation, encouragement, mandates to keep and follow, purpose, and expectation to see another joyful day. You will discover yourself more than you have ever done before. Your choices are optional, but the consequences are not. Life is not a matter of chance but a matter of the choices you make.

Life is an evolutionary process that is constantly taking us from one dimension of our lives to another. Thus, depending on how well or poorly we handle each phase or transition will determine our quality of life in general. It is in these transitional moments, when we are faced with having to make decisions, that we either set ourselves up for failure or success. In this book, the author explores the value of learning how to implement better decision-making processes that can ultimately change our lives and lead to making better life choices. It provides the tools needed to organize your thoughts in a cohesive manner that will lead to better decision-making. This road map will take you on a personal journey to self-discovery. You'll be encouraged to look inward for answers to unresolved issues that may have hindered your decision-making ability. Along the way, you will be challenged to make frequent breaks for self-assessments, as well as self-reflection. These self-assessments will lead to life changes that navigate you in a direction toward positive outcomes.

Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks are two of today's foremost relationship experts. Their bestselling book Conscious Loving has already become essential reading for tens of thousands of couples. Now, in The Conscious Heart, they identify the seven commitments that can transform from the inside out. These seven simple--but powerful--choices enable couples to: Use conflict to create greater understanding Overcome the fears and defenses that block intimacy Resolve struggles for control Increase generosity and appreciation Deepen passion, commitment, and aliveness Release the creativity of each partner Filled with numerous true-life stories--including how the authors survived and grew from their own midlife marital crisis--The Conscious Heart is an inspiring and instructive affirmation of the ultimate power of love.