I have some good friends visiting me from the UK this week and we struck up a conversation over dinner regarding America and choices. The whole topic began when my friend, Andrew, was asked six (I counted) different questions regarding how he would like his hamburger. (Technically speaking, if you tally all the options it was nine).

How would you like it cooked? Rare, medium or well done?

What type of bun? Brioche, wheat or white?

Would you like avocado?

What kind of cheese? Jack, swiss or cheddar?

Would you like bacon?

Would you like coleslaw, potato salad or french fries?

Watching him go through this was like seeing C3PO overload and have a small panic attack in the shape of a spasm. After the waitress left, I asked if he was okay. He replied, in a painfully disdainful British accent, “I’ve never been more stressed out in my life! When you order a burger in the UK, you get a burger with whatever they want to put on it and you deal with it.”

We then went on to how stressful it actually is to have all these choices all the time. As an American, I’m completely used to the stress, and in fact, become downright indignant when I don’t have things exactly the way I want it. However, I did try to picture a life where you wouldn’t have to make snap decisions about all the small things. I mean, if you think about it, isn’t it a lot to ask of people? To know in 30 seconds what they want to drink and how exactly they want it? I can’t even decide on a career, let alone how I want my bagel. Now, suddenly, Starbucks seems more stressful than my SAT test.

Are Americans totally overwhelmed and stressed, not because we work too much, but because we are such control freaks we have to decide on everything right down to which chemically based sweetener we prefer?

At some point in time, will all the choices make us completely indecisive? I don’t have the answer just yet, but I will go to Starbucks and let you know if I have an existential meltdown.

-Carla Guzzetti, account executive