Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice

http://www.ted.com Psychologist Barry Schwartz takes aim at a central tenet of western societies: freedom of choice. In Schwartz's estimation, choice has made us not freer but more paralyzed, not happier but more dissatisfied.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes -- including speakers such as Jill Bolte Taylor, Sir Ken Robinson, Hans Rosling, Al Gore and Arthur Benjamin. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, politics and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at
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[NYsalsa101]

I agreed with everything except for the part about income distribution. That is completely unrelated to the paradox of choice

[felixshin8]

I was watching this video with eyes wide open because I realized that the answers that I have been searching to explain my so-called "paralysis of choice" were being dictated to me by this man. Thank you Mr Barry Schwartz

[onee]

@kvmadj This is true, but sometimes companies make varieties for no reason like my brother who had bought an Nokia XpressMusic 2 years ago. You had a version which had 2G and no GPS. A version which had 3G and no GPS. And a version with 3G and GPS. You had to pay €100 more for 3G and GPS. Why would you make a variety if you already expect that 3G and GPS are going to be the future? And this was just one of the many phones Nokia sells.

[kvmadj]

@onee I agree, but it depends on the product. Too many of any one commodity is bad. But when each product is different in one way or another, it is good; lack of variety will kill a company. But too many of any one item will kill the company because it frustrates the customer.

[sunsetguy37]

I agree: life's menu has too many options.

Want more moments of unexpected happiness?: Relax need for perfect choices, and make random decisions...

[onee]

Actually Apple focuses on this. Less is more. Giving the customer less options to choose off (except the size of your iPhone, iPod or iPad). Compared to different companies which offer a sh!tload of choices (like Samsung). I don't say any of those companies are bad, but you have more choice so you will be more confused about what is the right product for you and what is the wrong one.

[FifthDread]

@Rottensteam he said it himself- "The key to happiness is to have low expectations" If wearing clothes for the function instead of the fashion makes him happy, why should you care what he is wearing?

[Rottensteam]

Why does some people not think about what they're wearing?

[dt28469]

"Nice tux" Barry, it complements your skin color

[jp929rr1]

@musoderelict for ex: *puts a gun to head* choose how to die, no really you're free to decide, neck, chest, head

or more current... "live as you wish as long as the wealth you produce, one way or another comes to us bankers"

[jp929rr1]

The big problem is imaginary opportunity cost in the big choices in life, kids/career, stock market/10K job that affect our satisfaction but also our motivation because in these kind of "path" choices there will be bumpy patches. The simplest example is when people have "experienced" easy money (stock market) they are less motivated to work for "hard" money through the difficulties of work. This is the biggest problem with choice and one of the main problems of society today.