Indecision has been around and even documented for a long time, truly coming into its own with Shakespeare’s Hamlet. However, in recent years, indecision has assumed new qualities. Personal choice has broadened through wealth, research, self-help books and media exposure, and people living longer overall. There are inexhaustible amounts of information available for key life choices, while at the same time clarity about life goals and personal roles has faded into a sea of gray. So it’s no wonder that indecision and procrastination have become a self-defining lifestyle. Imagine, then, the force of indecision on third-world characters trying to emerge into modernity—for whom the choices are yet vaster and more confusing.
For a moment, and only very faintly, Marten saw the handsome, carved face of Jon Tiegreich taking shape. He looked compelling even in silver. He seemed to be asleep, yet on the edge of wakefulness. Then his face evaporated gently into the sunlight, escaping from, rather than receding into, a background that never effectively contained him.