The Paradox of Choice - Why More Is Less

[pokewindwaker]

it's like 1984 all over again

[NakedUndone]

Are you in the market for a sub-compact sedan? You might look at a Ford Focus, a Hyundai Elantra, a Mazda 3, a Kia Rio, a Chrysler Neon, etc. But if you look at the specs, they're really all practically the same car. McPherson strut suspension, 2 liter (or there-abouts) engine, ~140 hp, front discs, rear drums, etc. Is that what he calls, "more choice?"

[NakedUndone]

The problem with this talk, is that I don't think that there really are more choices in today's world. There may be more "options", but that doesn't translate to more choices. Once I needed a miniature, screw-cap bulb (6V, 0.5A) for my bicycle light. I wandered through a hardware store the size of a warehouse but twice failed to find it. They didn't have it at an "electronics" store either. Which seems odd since millions of devices that use such bulbs have been manufacture in the last 50 years.

[anarchysith1992]

@ MrWoodrow123, that's why its called a paradox. Simple answer to you long comment.

[lahotti2]

wow



[MrWoodrow123]

Good talk, and I agree somewhat. Some of the statistical references are shallow though and are presented as complete in order to support the presentation. One that comes to mind is that people overwhelmingly do not like the current number of options that they are presented with. The conclusion is that choices should be removed.

This is an incomplete analysis. I agree that Starbucks could reduce their choices...but not by removing my favorites. Choices are bad unless they are what I want..right?

[cr34t0r1234]

I came to america 11 years ago from eastern europe, where I got a chance to experience some of the soviet regime. and one of the first realizations that I had was number of options I had when I went to a fast food restaurant. When my mom would make us lunch or supper, there was usually no choice involved you ate what you were served and I now appreciate that much more than all the 25 choices I get lost in and don't feel that I had something special to eat for a meal. these theories are real :)

[flowewritharoma]

the circumstances is so dangerous.

[carlitosvodka]

the cartoons are great, i want to relate this speech to becker's study of love economics and mate selection. you know that feeling of what if i went with him/her instead, how happy would my life be? also preference curve changes radically if you were set to marry one person with out a choice.

[carlitosvodka]

i have a phone with so many functions. i sold it didnt use all the features.

[12o1]

i believe its better to prepare yourself in any kind of situation and not just waiting for something to happen then living through it and then making preparations.

[glowguy99]

Yes i have high awareness and expectations in life in all kinds of ways i use all of them productively

[glowguy99]

this guys problem is that if all of life isit rainbows and butterflys he isint willing to grit his teeth and filter whats around him he just wants to be a product of his enviourment and take whats avalible and conveint with out thinking. why is he so afraid to use and managae his brain.

[glowguy99]

here is another problem with this guys arguemnts. he is incurageing people to be a product of convenent circumstance rather that reserhing and exploring. i think this guy needs to learn to emotionally grow up I am going to go down stars and eat a simple sanwich knowing that it is not as good as subway and i am still going to enjoy it alot any way. and no i am not going to negivly endlissly hiper fixcate on what its not in ways that are truly unproductive

[PieterDave]

i agree with this guy, back in the days, id play pacman all day long, never gets boring at all. now i must choose between all these games, and it drives me crazy and unhappy.

[glowguy99]

@PieterDave Then learn to manage your emotions and grow up.

[glowguy99]

@PieterDave childern have diffrent mimds than adults.

[PieterDave]

@glowguy99 i am only saying that this subject is subjective.Every one is different, like you said, a childs mind is different, does this guy refer to adulthood? i dont think so. That you need to respond in telling me to grow up sounds like you need to put control your emotions your self. But ok, i am sorry that i startled you and made you loose your emotion that you had to respond to me.

[AndersHansen1988]

the cameraman made the choice not to show us those cartoons. bastard :p

[anxietyawaynow]

i like your channel, check out mine too...

[anxietyawaynow]

Cool channel you have here.

[jaylaine74]

cool channel

[udfalkso]

"Why does it look like this? Because I drew it. I can make it look any damn way I want."

[MelkorHimself]

Greek-owned diners are the best places to eat. In NJ, the diner capital of the world, you have one on almost every corner. Despite huge menus, the number of choices isn't daunting. What greatly lessens your possible regret of choice are the low prices and large portions. You will always leave a Greek-owned diner full without having spent a lot of money. For example, I spent $10 for the crab cakes special: 2 crab cakes with potato, soup, salad, and dessert.

[MrArcati]

Very convincing talk on the neg. effects of 'infomation overload' though at a couple of points, 'escalation of expectations', he seemed dubious about the his case. Very likely he was, preaching to the converted. to arrive at a prescription for action, as he made clear, is a painful process. A talk that could well be subdivided into 6 or more sections to go into in depth, but all arguments were clear and plain, thanks to easily-grasped examples and (unfort. invisible) cartoons.

[glowguy99]

@MrArcati I agree with the one part that he is not going deep enough into his thoughts

[jibikao]

"happiness" is so contagious. I can't see the cartoons, but I uncontrollably smiled/laughed as I heard the laughters. So go out and be happy :) You can influence other people just by simply "laughing".

[wholelover]

lol. It's funny when people laugh and you don't know what about.... oh! The cartoons I can't see lmao!

[1UKdave]

To see the cartoons search for ...

VO6XEQIsCoM

[sd14jstme]

all this choice & options has frozen human creativity& also has seduced large portions of the population of all countries into relinquishing the task of accepting responability for themselves&their daily actions regards all but the simple decesions ie feeding /toilet/washing.

the truth is that less is more/ more happiness/creativity/intelegen­t decision makeing./more time to enjoy the one &only life span we have been allowed.

[glowguy99]

@sd14jstme go where some oposite sex shoues that dont fit.

[ritamargherita]

epicurean man

[Haminette]

Why is Google hosting a lecture on something they do not practice?

[dannzibar]

i wonder why its always older people that can see these kind of things and actually talk about it.

[freaaa1]

i choose not to run!

[mossberg451]

comedian women

[yanammm]

why are they not showing the cartoons!!?? :(

[menderfire9]

Interesting and right on video. My experience verifies this in a dramatic way. I came to this country from the West Indies, I was so totally overwhelmed with the magnitude of EVERYTHING I was paralyzed for several years. After 10 years of being here, I still can barely handle big stores, malls, restaurant menus etc. Industralized countries are unnatural contraptions that mess up us human beings

[iCaribbeanKing]

@menderfire9 Kind of agree with you, and certainly there's a lot of junk products out there. But at the current point of our society evolution it's better to have many many choices, because the very few ones really know what has the real value and what are crap-products. So we try all these things, make a lot of mistakes, wasting our time on them, but we LEARN. And the latter is the essential part. We learn to create something worthy and really valuable to us.

[unfrequented]

Great vid. Good job Schwarz is the only one lecturing on the Paradox of choice, made mine very easy!

[Aspartamebraintumor]

I want to see the cartoons.

[MrManlyhall]

legalize weed now its medicine as much as any of the many psych drugs they tried on me and then paid me off in a lawsuit.....ie seroquel; paxil prozac zoloft the doc dosent know what they do to the body for years after they tell you via tv you need them. no deaths ever from overdose how many must die from alcohol related deaths b4 they tax it and let freedom ring? yes im craziee and if you dont know me look me up im very wise

[emcga150]

craziee not

many have same conclusion; keeping pot illegal is cause u can't tax it as alcohol, meds; lobbies - auto, insurance, alcohol, tobacco; the politicians and ruling class - need to keep spending tax dollars; in the states the trillion dollar surplus clinton left to bush, bush blew it fast, to keep u.s. in debt for next 50 yrs. If countries had surpluses, they would have to reduce taxes and we keep more of our own money... that's not good for THEM

[shiftyjake]

I wanna see the cartoons!

[TheBotchJob]

I believe this is what makes Apple computers competitive. dell's site has 1000+ variations & apples only a handful.

[adashmac]

@TheBotchJob Not to mention...each of those few options are good choices with Apple. Which is like what he said, let the agent guide you to the right choice.

[fengjiwen911]

he also give the same speech in T.E.D

[locochilli]

i got to about 17 minutes... is this not stating the obvious? choices are good, yes. too many choices are sometimes bad, yes. i get it. do i have to listen to all the ways it can be bad?

[NorthStarAritharo]

He's stating the obvious to make you aware of the obvious, you're just naive and don't want to be reminded what you hide away back in your mind.

[locochilli]

Are you condoning statements of the obvious? Do you know me?

[NorthStarAritharo]

I don't need to based on your comment.

[locochilli]

it seems you are very settled and happy with your opinion. that's good for you. i was simply attempting to stimulate debate.

[Wamuigi]

Why do you need to start debate about what is obvious? It's good for you if you know this is obvious, but you do have to understand that it is not that obvious or not at all for some people. So, Schwartz is talking to those people who are clueless about the obvious.

[locochilli]

Personally I believe that we should debate and question all things at all times. That is just my opinion.

I understand your comment that not all people appreciate or understand his comments. That is where I disagree with you.

I wonder what his target audience is. I'm guessing the talk was grossly underpitched.

[Wamuigi]

Question all things at all times even when it is the obvious...? Now that you mention it, it really is not a bad idea. What if you think of something, and think that it is obvious, but in reality you are completely wrong and not aware of it? That is when and why we should debate other's ideas and our own too. Well, I did not see that you wanted to debate about this video bye the way you wrote your first comment; I don't know about others.

[flashdrvnk]

Great Talk, but I miss the comics :\

[mettta1]

@flashdrvnk