Irrational Consumers

Sunstein and Thaler have assumed all of us are Homer Simpsons as they wrote their book Nudge.  They have divided their explanations to those that are "econs" and the rest are considered "humans."  Then they separate them into two different worlds....Econworld, where the Econs have no problem with difficult choices and Humanworld which is made up of the rest of us Homers.  What this boils down to is that they (obviously from the Econworld) are worried that we (obviously from Hormerworld) "are least likely to make good choices."  Their argument is to convince the choice architects of the necessity of our peril of choosing for ourselves. It is important for them "to design the choice environment and what kinds of nudges to offer, and how subtle the nudges should be."  Sunstein and Thaler are concerned about our making choices that would bring us benefits now but the costs come later.  These are considered investment goods and sinful goods.  It is also a great concern for them that we can not make the difficult choices such as a mortgage but we are fine to decide upon coffee flavored ice cream or vanilla.  Nevertheless, they do point out a few examples of restaurants that don't offer choice in selection but that the chef is authorized to make that choice for you.  This is where they begin to steer the choice architects into limiting the options.  "When people have a hard time predicting how their choices will end up affecting their lives, they have less to gain by numerous options and perhaps even by choosing for themselves."  Then Sunstein and Thaler turn their concern on the markets and their fear that the free market system may not work for the "irrational consumer."  This comes under their argument that there are situations that people are less likely to make good choices.  They turn their attention to the "potential magic of markets and ask whether and when free markets and open competition will tend to exacerbate rather than mitigate the effects of human frailty."  
We are at (or maybe beyond) the crossroad of change and free will.  Sunstein and Thaler are proposing a new system or movement as they like to call it of Libertarian Paternalism that will take away our burden of choosing.  They suggest (strongly) that choice needs to be limited and guided to save us from making a wrong choice.  And they are writing books, teaching in colleges and holding key positions in government trying to persuade others that we are irrational choice makers and are not capable of decision making on our own.