Summary Of Barry Schwartz's Paradox Of Choice: Why More Is Less
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Barry Schwartz’s, Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, is a book that calls in to question the necessity for the over abundances of choices available to us. Here in the United States we pride ourselves on variety, choice, and more importantly freedom; but having too many options has its consequences. With so many choices we often feel too overwhelmed to even make a final decision and even if a final verdict is in we second guess and walk away having set expectations too high, leaving ourselves susceptible to disappointment. He argues that by cutting down on the amount of choices we make we can then reduce the anxiety of our lives.
Schwartz discusses how we have autonomy; the ability of a rational person to make informed and unforced decisions.…show more content… We need to be able to make our own choices, but the amount of choices can sometimes becomes negative when faced with too much variety (Schwartz, 2-3). He states, “… I believe that we make the most of our freedoms by learning to make good choices about the things that matter, while at the same time unburdening ourselves from too much concern about the things that don’t” (Schwartz 4). The author breaks the book into four parts; with the first emphasizing how the amount of choices we have has greatly amplified over time. He starts off by giving an example of the many options we are allotted, from jeans to assorted grocery products. Schwartz suggests that we get in a state of immobility because the alternatives are so many making the wrong choice is daunting and we often wonder if we truly have selected the best. He then calls to question whether this increase is really giving us increased satisfaction, is more truly better and is it really allowing us to be more free with our thoughts and actions. As he shows with retirement and heath care plans the more choices the less likely we are to make a final choice. We are burdened by going through so many options that narrowing the search for the best one requires give and take. We