Choice is a ubiquitous part of many modern societies – from breakfast cereal to politics. It’s even celebrated as an essential moral right. But how did we get here? In a new essay for Aeon, the historian Sophia Rosenfeld writes about the roots of choice, and its emergence in the early shopping culture of the 19th century. Based on her book The Age of Choice (2025) – nominated as a finalist for the prestigious Cundill History Prize – Rosenfeld’s essay argues that choice is not always the same thing as freedom. While choice has brought many benefits, we should not ignore the downsides – and therefore we might reconsider before we aspire to maximise it in all realms of life.

– Richard Fisher, Senior Editor