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There is an awesome TED talk by Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice. https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice?language=en https://www

by webdigi 11y ago

There is an awesome TED talk by Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice. https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_c... 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.

colund 11y ago
I was just going to post the Google Talk with the same guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELAkV2fC-I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELAkV2fC-I. Choice is good as long as people don't feel like they need to optimize, but instead feel they can settle for good enough.
- scholia 11y ago
  The linked story mentions "professor of social theory Barry Schwartz in his book The Paradox of Choice" and links to his book.
- barney54 11y ago
  And here some of the other side--that the paradox of choice might be s myth: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/more-is-more-why-the-paradox-of-choice-might-be-a-myth/278658/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/more-is-...
adventured 11y ago
No doubt Barry Schwartz has never lived without choice. He's wrong, and obviously so. Freedom of choice is vastly superior, in every possible way, to the alternative. A nicer Soviet-era grocery store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTGsUyv8IE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTGsUyv8IE The stories are overly plentiful of people that were held in low-choice captivity in the former USSR, breaking down in tears upon seeing western grocery stores. I know several people who lived under Communism in Romania, their experience was identical. I'd suspect that very few people arguing against choice, have ever lived in a situation where they were actually deprived of it. They're essentially spoiled brats.
- duderific 11y ago
  I think the key here is the Goldilocks principle: too little or no choice is bad, but so is too much choice. The key (from a marketing perspective) is finding just the right amount of choice that does not overwhelm, but gives a range of varying options. Other commenters have mentioned finding a sweet spot - Apple's x/y axis that leads to four product categories; trimming the number of potato chip options on the rack from 12 to 5 and seeing sales jump.
laotzu 11y ago
"Freedom is the state of not having to choose" -Alan Watts

by webdigi 11y ago

colund 11y ago

I was just going to post the Google Talk with the same guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELAkV2fC-I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELAkV2fC-I. Choice is good as long as people don't feel like they need to optimize, but instead feel they can settle for good enough.

scholia 11y ago
The linked story mentions "professor of social theory Barry Schwartz in his book The Paradox of Choice" and links to his book.
barney54 11y ago
And here some of the other side--that the paradox of choice might be s myth: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/more-is-more-why-the-paradox-of-choice-might-be-a-myth/278658/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/more-is-...

adventured 11y ago

No doubt Barry Schwartz has never lived without choice. He's wrong, and obviously so. Freedom of choice is vastly superior, in every possible way, to the alternative. A nicer Soviet-era grocery store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTGsUyv8IE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTGsUyv8IE The stories are overly plentiful of people that were held in low-choice captivity in the former USSR, breaking down in tears upon seeing western grocery stores. I know several people who lived under Communism in Romania, their experience was identical. I'd suspect that very few people arguing against choice, have ever lived in a situation where they were actually deprived of it. They're essentially spoiled brats.

duderific 11y ago
I think the key here is the Goldilocks principle: too little or no choice is bad, but so is too much choice. The key (from a marketing perspective) is finding just the right amount of choice that does not overwhelm, but gives a range of varying options. Other commenters have mentioned finding a sweet spot - Apple's x/y axis that leads to four product categories; trimming the number of potato chip options on the rack from 12 to 5 and seeing sales jump.

laotzu 11y ago

"Freedom is the state of not having to choose" -Alan Watts