choosing not to decide.

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keannu

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1. Does "choosing not to decide" imply "choosing not to accept"? I think "accept" is less confusing as "not choosing to decide" and "choosing not to decide" sound similar.
2. Do "as much as I liked it, and as perfect a deal as it seemed" mean "(Even) though I liked it" and "(Even) though it seems a perfect deal" respectively? They don't seem like the typical formula of "I like apples as much as pears".

34)An option is forced if not choosing to decide is somehow equivalent in its consequences to choosing not to decide. I recently debated buying a particular car that had just arrived at a local dealership. I looked at it for two days and test-drove it twice. I really liked it. It was an extraordinary deal because of some rare circumstances. But, as much as I liked it, and as perfect a deal as it seemed, I couldn’t manage to form the positive belief that I should go buy it. The situation was such that this was equivalent to deciding not to buy it, as my hesitation allowed another interested party to snatch it away while I pondered the possibilities. If you are presented with a good job offer and given 48 hours to respond, then not choosing is equivalent in its consequences to a negative choice. It is a forced option.
 

Grumpy

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1. Does "choosing not to decide" imply "choosing not to accept"? I think "accept" is less confusing as "not choosing to decide" and "choosing not to decide" sound similar.
2. Do "as much as I liked it, and as perfect a deal as it seemed" mean "(Even) though I liked it" and "(Even) though it seems a perfect deal" respectively? They don't seem like the typical formula of "I like apples as much as pears".

34)An option is forced if not choosing to decide is somehow equivalent in its consequences to choosing not to decide. I recently debated buying a particular car that had just arrived at a local dealership. I looked at it for two days and test-drove it twice. I really liked it. It was an extraordinary deal because of some rare circumstances. But, as much as I liked it, and as perfect a deal as it seemed, I couldn’t manage to form the positive belief that I should go buy it. The situation was such that this was equivalent to deciding not to buy it, as my hesitation allowed another interested party to snatch it away while I pondered the possibilities. If you are presented with a good job offer and given 48 hours to respond, then not choosing is equivalent in its consequences to a negative choice. It is a forced option.

1. In this context, yes. However, the author uses "choosing not to decide" as a stylish counterpoint to "not choosing to decide" precisely because it does sound similar

2. Yes; they mean exactly the same. It's just an alternative way of expressing the idea, without having to repeat "Even though".
 

keannu

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What do you think this "such that" means here? just "It was such a situation and that.."?

The situation was such that this was equivalent to deciding not to buy it,
 
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