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Sophie's Choice
Sophie's Choice
Difficult situation in which person must choose between 2 equally deserving alternatives
1979 novel by William Styron: Mother at Auschwitz concentration camp forced to choose child to kill or else both would be killed
Why offering choice can cause harm:
Why offering choice can cause harm:
Burden of choice + responsibility has lasting consequences
Society blames individuals rather than structure for negative outcomes
Falsely gives impression of freedom rather than coercion
Bad choices look good in comparison to worse
Coercers portrayed as generous for giving agency and avoid accountability
Conception of possibilities confined by choices
What makes a choice legitimate?
What makes a choice legitimate?
Contributes to broader right to liberty
Benefits + consequences comprehended by party
Self-interest and externalities balanced
Well-intentioned/ethically responsible
Can be freely chosen without undue coercion
All reasonable options available
Choice as a "narrative"
Choice as a "narrative"
During cold war, "choice" became an ideologically important word to the West and became valued
Capitalism > communism due to higher consumer choice
Democracy > dictatorship; voter choice
More attention to civil rights cases, e.g. vaccination/religious schools
Overton window for social movements begins to centre on choice
Choice feminism
Environmentalism - friendly choices
Why exempting yourself from choice doesn't work
Why exempting yourself from choice doesn't work
To not choose = choice akin of any options
Choosing "randomly" is a decision to try to resolve yourself from responsibility
Social influences force choices
Preferences socially constructed
Choice judged by participation not intent
Privilege shapes existence and freedom
Sophie's Choice & Reframing the Holocaust
Sophie's Choice & Reframing the Holocaust
Critics argue Sophie's Choice represents America's newfound social consciousness of the Holocaust conflicting with Christian guilt
Choice to make Sophie (Christian) powerless against Nazism
Portrays Nazis as "ultimate evil" rather than racially motivated against the Jewish, thus sanitising it
Critics argue that the Holocaust was used to make slavery look better in comparison
Nazism partly inspired by segregation in America South
Pros and Cons of Narrative of Choice
Pros and Cons of Narrative of Choice
Pros
Pros
Increases social pressure for liberty
Can accomodate diverse populations
Flexible to new ideas + rhetoric
Can focus on agency rather than morality
Can highlight coercion
Cons
Cons
Some liberties are not constructive
Tends to be ruled by majoritarianism
Tends to favour status quo by not challenging it
Can give false illusion of choice
Reinforces coercion if not exposed
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