2208 Non-Choices

In this digital world, where every organization wants you to reserve online and every ATM and gas pump requires you to punch a variety of buttons, I often find myself resenting having to make non-choices.

Like recently when Chevron stations decided to partner with Safeway to earn or redeem rewards points. So now, every time I get gas, before I can proceed with the normal procedure, I have to first press a button saying I don't have a Safeway rewards card. 

I resent having to make that non-choice. It's a wasted effort in a world already riddled with inefficiencies. And at my age, it's a waste of the precious amount of time I have left in this world. Computers are pretty smart. I'm sure there's a way to have an opt-in button without having an opt-out button. 

Likewise an event I signed up for online recently. When it came time to select the meal, the choices were "vegetarian" or "non-vegetarian." In this instance it wasn't that I had to press an extra button, it was that my food preference was categorized so negatively. 

It's as if vegetarian was the default choice. Anything else was non-vegetarian. It was so non-inclusive. I don't have anything against vegetarians. But at this point they're still far from the norm. Non-norm if you will. 

I absolutely think vegetarians should have a choice in group meals, and have been kept from it for too long, but I like a positive name for what I do too. I'm not a non-vegetarian, I'm a carnivore. Or better yet, and more accurately, I'm an omnivore. Talk about positive and all-inclusive. Like omniscient and omnipotent, omnivore says it all. 

And I'm guessing no one would ever make non-omnivore a selection. It's just too confusing. Or is that non-clear?

America, ya gotta love it.