Why choosing is hard? The trap of rationality and the power of autopilot

Why Decision-Making Is Hard

Decision-making is basically easy—after all, you do it all the time. But, unfortunately, it's not that simple from a human perspective. Of course, everyone hopes it's easy, and it is—as long as you don't think about it.

Autopilot is a handy feature because you don't have to lift a finger, even your eyelids blink on their own. You can imagine a life where you don't have to make a single active decision after mulling it over for months.

You might now be wondering, is such a reality realistic? Before I answer, I'll say that humans love to think, or at least claim to. So, to a human, a life without thought probably seems strange, and it likely is. You're probably aware that there are many other forms of life in the world besides humans and monkeys.

These other forms are, for the most part, irrational in their decision-making. Imagine yourself as an amoeba, how would it feel to be "just a total zero"? That is, an organism that simply exists and reproduces. In other words, how would it feel to just live, without thinking about dreams, other activities, or goals? Would life feel meaningless?

Human superpower and the illusion of thinking

One of humanity's superpowers is precisely the ability to think, to see chains and connections between things; this is the source of our desire to find explanations for what we can observe. We want to know if we can utilise the phenomena we observe, control them, and thus replicate them.

One might reflect on the usefulness of the ability to think, which I have already begun to unpack. I propose the following claim: Not thinking is better than thinking.

Why? First of all, it is entirely possible to live on instincts and reactions alone; every living being's basic needs are met by an inbuilt driver. This claim is supported by research: 99% of human decisions are precisely these thoughtless reactions.

When a person is accustomed to thinking and being conscious of themselves and their actions, it is naturally difficult for them to imagine themselves as anything else.

However, a person is also outside of "consciousness" most of the time; they do not think of themselves as being in it.

One can also approach the matter by asking: what is the purpose of thinking? Is rational and logical thinking necessary for a good life? For survival? The answer is likely not straightforward. It is possible to defend oneself successfully using only instincts and reactions; in situations that arise suddenly, we generally act on instinct, regardless of whether the organism in question is a thinking being or not.

On the other hand, when one wants to be strategic and build walls and weapons of mass destruction, it requires thought. Humans, being very pro-technology and dependent on it, often believe that technology is absolutely the best way to defend themselves.

Human is like other animals

Putting different organisms against each other isn't necessarily meaningful, or even fair, but humans are much more like other organisms than they admit. Humans just happen to be helpless without technology, and creating it requires a certain amount of logical reasoning.

Does logic help us cope with the basic order of things better? Yes and no. Yes, because we have invented and developed a long list of various gadgets to assist with tasks, which reduce the physical burden and enable things that humans would not be able to accomplish by hand.

No, because in principle, basic needs and necessities can be met with very little technology. The question is therefore twofold—especially when it comes to humans. Evolution has not made human life easy; of course, humans have technology and the ability to think. On the other hand, the ability to think and the need to do so sometimes lead to overthinking and a compulsive search for explanations.

So-called rational thinking brings its own set of difficulties. It leads to overanalysis, and we want to give ourselves and those around us as many options as possible, believing that the best one should be found among them. This very notion of a sea of options and the bliss it supposedly brings is nonsense.

Here, decision-making and human desires become intertwined. Our desires certainly guide our choices, but sometimes we want something that is neither possible nor sensible for us.

The ability to think has made it possible to create dreams, the opportunity to strive for a life beyond basic needs—at least in theory and in dreams. Creating dreams does not in itself aid decision-making, but it can create pressure to make certain choices that may not necessarily serve one's current life situation, or even long-term needs.

Survival does not need rationality

When it comes to surviving in life, rational and logical thinking is not as superior as humans themselves believe. It has certainly enabled inventions that have extended life, but it does not change humans or any other living beings biologically, nor does it change the basic needs of life.

Against this backdrop, human reasoning can even be a burden; yet, given our physiology and physical structure, it is more or less indispensable. The world is home to countless organisms that live like amoebas, or by instinct alone. This proves that living does not require great thinking ability, and humans are indeed the great exception.

Modern life and society demand a great deal of thinking. Not thinking has become criminal; if you don't think, you can easily break dozens of rules with a single thoughtless action, and you'll be judged for an intentional mistake, even if you did something without realising it—that is, by accident.

These days, you can't even choose whether you're a thinking being or an amoeba-like parasite. The demand for constant and demanding thinking isn't natural for any living being, which is why it's distressing and difficult for many.

If you have the chance to give your brain a rest, do it. Resting doesn't necessarily mean switching your brain to "off" mode; a meaningful and relaxing activity can also help you unwind, sometimes even better than complete rest in certain situations.

It's okay to be an amoeba and passive. It's advisable so that you can stay healthy in every way for longer and truly enjoy life, rather than just going through the motions and dashing off in every direction like a gazelle.