Is being indecisive ever a plus?

One of the good things about being on fellowship means I have lots of time to sit around and think about the research I'd like to do. On the other hand, that's also one of the bad things. I've been trying to piece together a research proposal for another fellowship over the last two weeks. I have moments of ephiphany where everything crystallizes. But then, hours later, it fades. Someone else has covered that ground. My theory isn't coherent. Or, most angst inducing to me, the questions I'm addressing just don't seem to matter as much as I'd like.

At this point, I've jumped firmly onto studying alternative food. Yet at every turn I feel aware of the fact that it really only exists as a category for a certain, relatively privileged group of Americans. The questions I'm asking feel important to me, most notably this one: can movements which claim to inject ethical concerns explicitly into captialist economy actually promote a more fair and inclusive system? But I worry about my own positionality and those of the subjects I study and how this really addresses larger issues of poverty and injustice.

Along with this is the threat of greener pastures: academics whose work seems to address the really pressing questions or use approaches I aspire to. More specifically, I've thought about work more explicitly addressing urban inequality and gentrification.

In the end, a lot of this feels like unhelpful navel gazing. I need to trust my instincts and go with what I have. I enjoy being able to really dig into my own interests, especially after 9 years of constant grading. But it's not without its issues.