Susannah Scheffler
9/23/15
Source Type :
Argument http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice?language=en#t-699107, Barry Schwartz, “The Paradox of Choice”
Barry Schwartz is the author of “The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less”
a book written about the
expansive world in which we live and how instead of freeing us in terms of
choice it is actually stifling us. Barry argues that the more choices we have the more paralyzed we feel.
The world that we live in
throws thousands of options our way every day from different brands of food and
clothing, to services we purchase, and even how we can engage in the digital
world. He believes that instead of this plethora of option making our lives
easier and giving power to the consumer to make their own decisions, it is
making it harder to know what the right option is, if there even is a right
option, and then when we finally do chose an option we are bound to question
our choice. All of these choices have perplexed the modern consumer and it is
getting increasingly difficult to just focus on one thing when there is so much
happening. Barry elaborates that “choice makes it possible to do better, but
feel worse”, because with so many options available our expectations increase and
we assume that one of them out there must be the perfect choice. Unfortunately,
nothing is ever perfect so the individual feels less satisfied even when they
are happy with a result or option. When this happens, the consumer will look to
find a cause for their dissatisfaction and realizes that they must be the
problem leading to self-doubt and loathing.
Schwartz ends by noting that this problem is unique to the culture in
which we live, and what enables choice is material affluence.
Schwartz’s Ted Talk was
based off of his book and examines the same issues that are uncovered in his
writing. This source is appropriate because this notion of too many options or
choices is only escalated by our ability to do most things online. The Internet
has made true the statement “the world is your oyster”
because it has made
accessible worlds and opportunities that were not before. Thinking about this
paradox of “more is less”
can help us look to user
habits and the issues that the Internet brings with it.
My biggest question after watching this is, what or even if there is a
solution to this paralysis, and what happens when we only get more and more
options in the future? How does this paralysis continue? How much more
paralyzed can we be?
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