The Best Choice
The last night before we booked out the next afternoon, we sat around the bunk listening and engaging in an interesting discourse. We covered a few topics, one of which was "the best choice", which I found it philosophical and thought-provoking enough to share. I have added my own graphical analysis below.

"The best choice" refers to the choice taken by a person in each scenario he is placed within. Laying down some ground rules, we can agree that every man is individual in nature. We can also acknowledge that, like consumer theory in economics, our choices are limited and subject to constraints, so we cannot choose beyond what we are offered. If we were to plot a graph:


The graph above depicts how our choices are determined by two base factors - logic (x-axis) and emotion (y-axis). Keeping all other factors constant (eg. unpredictable situations where time is of essence) we are always driven by rational and temperamental choices. The downward-sloping straight line represents the logical and emotional limits of an individual, which is different for everybody. The downward-sloping curved line represents the "rational-temperamental" curve, which shows a relationship between logic and emotion, ie. how an individual makes his choice by using both base factors. [At this point, I'd like to point that the assumption made is that logic and emotion are antagonists to each other, that one cannot be both rational and temperamental in his choice, nor both irrational and calm.] Point 'a' on the graph represents "the short-sighted best choice". The individual has not chosen "the best choice" he is allowed as there are many more better choices he can actually pick above that point. Point 'c' represents "the impossible best choice". The individual is unable to choose it even though it is clearly better than his "best choice", because his level of emotion and reasoning does not allow for the suggestion of such a choice to be made. Point 'b' then represents "the best choice" an individual is allowed to make, because he has maximised both emotion and logic and cannot choose an even better "best choice" anymore.

We've agreed earlier that every man is individual in nature, hence some people tend to be more emotional, while others tend to be more logical. Given one scenario, the emotional individual chooses differently from the logical individual. If we plot another graph:


The green curve represents an emotional person A, who makes choices temperamentally. The blue curve represents a logical person B, who makes choices rationally. For illustration purposes, I have assumed that both individuals are making their "best choices". However, when we put them together under the same scenario that affects both of them, we realize that their choices are not "The Best Choice", which is shown by the red curve. The red curve shows that both choices made have resulted in a "Short-sighted Best Choice" (all in capital letters here to differentiate between an individual's choice and a collective choice.) This choice will ultimately result in conflicts between both individuals, because they do not share the same methods and ideas of achieving the goal. Although both of them are making their personal "best choices", these are not the best choices because they have not attained a shared "Best Choice". [We shall not mix up "The Best Choice" with an "impossible best choice", because even though it is certain that "The Best Choice" lies outside of both individuals' rational-temperamental curves, however, it is definitely possible to attain if both of them are willing to work together, thereby the emotional and logical limits would have been propelled outwards, as shown by the red line.]

I think I shall stop here to allow time for you to absorb this idea. I'm open to questions and new perspectives you may wish to share.