The Paradox of Choice
Swarthmore College's Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action is Barry Schwartz. He is the co-author of several books, including Why We Work and Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing. Many of his publications have featured in prestigious journals in his profession, including American Psychologist.
Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, choosing a long-distance carrier, applying to college, selecting a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex as a result of the overwhelming abundance of options available to us.
As Americans, we believe that more alternatives equals better options and more happiness. But beware of over-choice: it can cause you to second-guess your decisions before you even make them, establish unreasonably high expectations, and make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to paralysis of decision-making, worry, and chronic stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of excellence when we have endless possibilities, having too many options can lead to clinical depression.
Barry Schwartz explains in The Paradox of Choice when choice—the hallmark of human freedom and self-determination that we cherish—becomes damaging to our psychological and emotional well-being. Schwartz explains how the enormous growth in choice—from the ordinary to the profound issues of managing job, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem rather than a solution in clear, entertaining, and anecdotal prose. Schwartz also demonstrates how our fixation with choice leads us to seek out what makes us feel worse.
By combining existing social science studies, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that reducing choices can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and busyness in our lives. He provides eleven practical techniques for limiting options to a manageable amount, developing the discipline to focus on the critical ones while ignoring the rest, and finally deriving better satisfaction from the decisions you must make.
Author: Barry Schwartz
Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-More-Less-Revised/dp/0062449923/
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