The Paradox of Choice

Why More is Less

By: Barry Schwartz

Narrated by: Ken Kliban

Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

In the spirit of Alvin Tofflers' Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret.

Whether were buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions - both big and small - have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.

We assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice - the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish - becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice--from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs--has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

©2004 Barry Schwartz (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

For those who have trouble making decisions

The book presents the potential link between overabundance of choice in everyday situations and well being / mental health depreciation, if you happen to fall into the "tyranny of choice" trap.

It's especially useful those who are only satisfied with always making THE BEST choices ( "maximizers", as the author puts ).

When the number of choices becomes too great - and they do in modern western societies - maximizing becomes an unfeasible strategy as trying to find the best possible choice can become long and difficult projects, and even simple decision making becomes a burden.

The book provided me with many insights and made me understand to a much greater degree why I suffer from decision making and taking action.

I didn't find the last chapter - on strategies to handle decision making and avoid suffering - particularly useful. I'll have to figure that part out myself.

I just... Can't get past that narrator

Firstly, this book is well worth your time. Barry Schwartz makes a few very compelling points. That said, this book makes those same points again and again. I feel like it could easily be condensed to a few chapters. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Narrator on the other hand... He is very good at submitting a clear and concise stream of words, but I felt throughout the entire listen like he was deliberately speaking in a sort of condescending tone. He has a way of reading that makes me want to disagree with him even though I totally agree with him. It's as if that school playmate from your childhood, the one who teased you about that school crush, came into adulthood and felt that it was his life's mission to find a mature way to tease; an adult way of teasing. I could have sworn he said "I know you are, but what am I" under his breath throughout this production.

The many eg. give good insights at what's at stake

I was a little skeptical when I started. I thought I'll be reading/listening to some biased work from someone who think the establishment should be making choice for the people, because people don't know what they want.

He carefully didn't say it and rather explorer the consequences of overwhelming choices and possibilities. Looking into great details what's the process in the mind and what inputs are usually required/used to which end.

I recommend it to those carrying regrets along, those wondering why they have a hard time making choices, even “simple” ones, and those curious about how to package what they offer to their customers.

So good you won’t be disappointed.

Great book. Easily in my top 5 for this genre. Would recommend listening twice for full comprehension.

Choose This Listen

I might not know why I choose certain things. I now have a better understanding of why I choose some things.

Interesting

This work caused me to realize that much of the stress of my life is related to the infinite list of possibilities and choices that I have to make. It also gave me a set of strategies for dealing with that stress.

Very true...

Satisficers really do enjoy life more than maximizers. This I think is particularly true in a marriage.

Very informative but a bit too short

The subject and the idea of the book is great. However I feel the topic was presented in a bit chaotic way and the size of particular chapters was not properly considered. Eg. the first chapter pointing out the overwhelming number of choices we have to make every day is very long, as the last part of the book with practical solutions to the choosing problem is much more shorter.

Good book, painful narration

This book was hard to finish. The content was interesting but the narration made it a real chore to listen to. Maybe a physical copy would be better.

interesting but...

interesting and valuable information but it could be laid down in a dozen pages. the same stuff is repeated again and again.