Happy Talk

Why do we make choices we know have a good chance of making us miserable?

I’ve long been wary of what I call the “And Then What?” trap. I see it all around me, and it goes something like this:

A parent makes it their mission to get their child into the best preschool in their area. That school funnels the child into the best K-12 prep school, outside of which they participate in the ideal mix of extra-curricular activities. Starting in, say, third grade, the parent begins shelling out a small fortune for tutors and weekend tutors as…