Sophia Rosenfeld, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of "The Age of Choice," dives into the fascinating evolution of choice as a symbol of freedom. She discusses how the abundance of choices today has transformed our understanding of personal and political freedom. Exploring the historical roots, from its impact on women's autonomy to its role in American democracy, she reveals the paradoxes of choice, including the anxiety it causes amidst overwhelming options, and how it shapes our modern struggles for rights.
37:30
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Choice as Freedom
Choice is now synonymous with freedom, becoming a defining feature of modern life.
This shift involved increased options and a higher value placed on personal selection.
insights INSIGHT
Rise of Consumer Choice
Modern shopping involves browsing and selecting based on personal preferences, unlike earlier markets.
This 'aesthetic choice' reflects a shift towards internal criteria in selection.
insights INSIGHT
Gender and Choice
Women's role as consumers initially linked them to negative stereotypes about choice.
Later, choice became aspirational for women, exemplified by the framing of reproductive rights.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Sophia Rosenfeld's "The Age of Choice" examines the historical evolution of choice as a central concept in modern life. The book traces how the idea of choice, particularly in relation to freedom, has transformed from a privilege of the elite to a defining characteristic of modern societies. Rosenfeld explores the impact of this shift on various aspects of life, including consumerism, democracy, and personal identity. She analyzes the paradox of choice, where an abundance of options can lead to feelings of paralysis and dissatisfaction. The book offers a nuanced perspective on the complexities of choice in the modern world, highlighting both its liberating and constraining aspects.
Choice touches virtually every aspect of our lives, from what to buy and where to live to whom to love, what profession to practice, and even what to believe. But the option to choose in such matters was not something we always possessed or even aspired to. At the same time, we have been warned by everybody from marketing gurus to psychologists about the negative consequences stemming from our current obsession with choice. It turns out that not only are we not very good at realizing our personal desires, we are also overwhelmed with too many possibilities and anxious about what best to select. There are social costs too. How did all this happen? The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life (Princeton UP, 2025) tells the long history of the invention of choice as the defining feature of modern freedom.
Taking readers from the seventeenth century to today, Sophia Rosenfeld describes how the early modern world witnessed the simultaneous rise of shopping as an activity and religious freedom as a matter of being able to pick one's convictions. Similarly, she traces the history of choice in romantic life, politics, and the ideals of human rights. Throughout, she pays particular attention to the lives of women, those often with the fewest choices, who have frequently been the drivers of this change. She concludes with an exploration of how reproductive rights have become a symbolic flashpoint in our contemporary struggles over the association of liberty with choice.
Drawing on a wealth of sources ranging from novels and restaurant menus to the latest scientific findings about choice in psychology and economics, The Age of Choice urges us to rethink the meaning of choice and its promise and limitations in modern life.
New Books in Economic and Business History 