UPSC Prelims 2023 CSAT Paper II · Q61 of 77 Comprehension medium

Passage

Directions for the following 4 (four) items : Read the following four passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage – 1 The paradox of choice is illustrated by the story of Buridan's ass. Jean Buridan, the 14th century philosopher, wrote about free will and the inability to choose due to numerous choices and uncertainties. In the story, a donkey stands between two equally appealing stacks of hay. Unable to decide which to eat, it starves to death. Changes in technology and innovations such as smart phones and tablets only exacerbate our glut of choices. Constant connectivity and overconsumption of real-time data and social media can leave little room for self-reflection and rest, making decisions more difficult. Life is about choices. Many people are overwhelmed with attractive life choices, yet find themselves unhappy and anxious.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical message implied by the above passage ?

  1. (a) Modern technology enfeebles societal structure and makes life difficult.
  2. (b) Modern life is full of uncertainties and endless difficult choices.
  3. (c) We are influenced by the opinion of others and have no courage to follow our own convictions.
  4. (d) In our lives, having too few choices may not be a good thing, but having too many can be equally as difficult. ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The passage introduces the 'paradox of choice' using the story of Buridan's ass, which starves because it cannot choose between two equally appealing options.

• It states that modern technology and constant connectivity exacerbate the 'glut of choices,' making decisions more difficult.

• The text explicitly mentions that people are overwhelmed with attractive life choices, leading to unhappiness and anxiety.

• This aligns with the idea that while some choices are necessary, an excess of them creates difficulty, as stated in option (d).

• Therefore, the most logical message is that having too many choices can be as problematic as having too few.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Modern technology enfeebles societal structure and makes life difficult.
The passage focuses on individual decision-making difficulty due to choice overload, not on the weakening of societal structure.
(b) Modern life is full of uncertainties and endless difficult choices.
While uncertainties are mentioned, the core argument is specifically about the difficulty arising from the sheer number of choices, not just general uncertainty.
(c) We are influenced by the opinion of others and have no courage to follow our own…
The passage does not discuss the influence of others' opinions or a lack of courage to follow personal convictions.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

Practise this paper free