Do Wee Need Choices?

[PaulTheMaul]

Choices. Are they necessary for our happiness or they cause us to suffer? Does abundance of choices makes happy or they rather make us miserable?

When you ask people from former communistic states what they missed during that regime they usually say, that they craved for more types and choices of products (for instance - clothes, cars, food etc.)

But they still usually note that the life during that particular previous regime was more simple, slower and more enjoyable. WHY do they tend to note this fact?

Barry Schwartz in his latest interview claims that abundance of choices DOES NOT makes up happy but it makes paralyzed instead, because if we can choose from many options, we cannot be perfectly certain that this will be the best choice and therefore we tend to keep thinking about our choice and this constant thinking can take away all the joy from our choice and rather makes unhappy.

I also recommend his presentation, which can be found on youtube.

What do you think about choices? Do we really need them? :sarcastic

 

[Revoltingest]

Some need choice, & some don't.
I don't think one can generalize about all people being this or that.

 

[swamplizard]

Hi Paul,

Perhaps a study in Buddhist/Zen/Tao thought would help in your inquiry.

best,
swampy

 

[Revoltingest]

Rats! I didn't address lizards in my response.
One shouldn't over-generalize about them either.

 

[swamplizard]

Some need choice, & some don't.
I don't think one can generalize about all people being this or that.

Hi Rev,

If I could choose, I would be this rather than that, whachu tink?

best,
swampy

 

[PaulTheMaul]

Thanks Swamplizard!

I will certainly check it out!

 

[swamplizard]

Rats! I didn't address lizards in my response.
One shouldn't over-generalize about them either.

Some lizards choose to hide from choosing.

 

[swamplizard]

Thanks Swamplizard!

I will certainly check it out!

You're welcome, Paul.

best,
swampy

 

[Revoltingest]

Some lizards choose to hide from choosing.

Do they really have any choice in their choice to not choose?
I think not!

 

[swamplizard]

Do they really have any choice in their choice to not choose?
I think not!

Some are destined to choose, others choose their destiny.

toppermost revioli,
swampy

 

[4consideration]

Choices. Are they necessary for our happiness or they cause us to suffer? Does abundance of choices makes happy or they rather make us miserable?

I can agree with Mr. Schwartz that an abundance of choices can lead to a sense of paralysis due to confusion over the number of choices -- and I also see that resistance to making a choice can be avoidance of accepting responsibility for one's choices. But, I do not wish for someone else to artificially limit my choices just so that I don't have to accept responsibility for making those choices. If I need to grow up in some area of life, I would prefer to do that rather than have someone make it seem unnecessary for me. If I am uncomforable in the process, perhaps that is part of the lesson or motivation for growing.

In the last few minutes of the video Mr. Schwartz makes it clear that his presentation is intended to support certain policy decisions, specifically redistribution of wealth -- to encourage people to want others to limit their choices, so they can be happier -- as though limiting choice for one group is necessary for extending choice to a group whose choices may have been too narrowly limited so far. I do not agree that one is necessary for the other.

Additionally, with his example of a fish in a fish bowl, I do not see the possibilities that he presented as the only possibilities available. If I was going to infer the needs or wants of a fish in a fish bowl -- I would not conclude that he should remain confined to a tiny fish bowl, nor would I conclude that shattering the fish bowl would be to his benefit. That is not offering unlimited choices, that is killing a fish by removing him from the environment/water he needs to live. I would also not say that he would be happier in a larger fish bowl. Those were the only possibilities presented by the speaker. I would most likely conclude that a fish would be happier in his natural enviorment, without any artifically imposed container and left alone to swim and live as he chooses.

 

[9Westy9]

Hi Rev,

If I could choose, I would be this rather than that, whachu tink?

best,
swampy

but you could become that if you so wished

 

[Marble]

I think we need choices, we just don't need too many of them.

 

[Revoltingest]

I think we need choices, we just don't need too many of them.

I like having too many.
A plethora won't paralyze me!

 

[McBell]

I think we need choices, we just don't need too many of them.

How many is too many?

 

[Marble]

How many is too many?

As with most things, this is different for each individual person.

 

[Inthedark]

When "we" choose have we really chosen? Who does the choosing? Free will is a complicated topic for discussion. I have read that the conscious mind can only tackle about 5 things at the same time, plus or minus 2, depending on the individual. The vast majority of what we think about whilst making decisions is done without our knowledge and carried out by the big brain, the unconscious mind.

There are many studies that have shown we decide on many things before we know we have decided (i.e. the unconscious mind has somehow leaked it to the conscious mind, at which point we think we have just decided).

Having to make decisions consciously about a "plethora" of things might not be as black and white as we think.

Just a thought.

[youtube]cC-Je_Nt6Cs[/youtube]
Dr. Quantum - The Real Self behind the Ego (caught by science) - YouTube

Unconscious Decision-Making | Psych Central News

So who is in charge of this bag of blood and bones anyway?

 

[YmirGF]

While having too many choices can be bewildering, having no choice is hardly a good thing. Like in all things, moderation is the key.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

[youtube]FToHabxSVYg[/youtube]

 

[Penumbra]

How many is too many?

A case study on choice:
The Limits of Blindness on Choice | Sheena Iyengar | Big Think

-They had controlled displays where they sold either 6 flavors of jam, or 24 flavors of jam.

-More people stopped at the 24-jam display.

-FAR more people actually purchased jam from the 6-jam display. This display had a sale rate of 30% vs. 3% for the 24-jam display. Even after accounting for the fact that fewer people stopped at the 6-jam display, they still sold 6 times as much.

Online retailers and all sorts of marketers focus on this stuff due to the enormous impact it can have. When people have too many choices, they end up picking nothing. This has also popped up in the case of 401(k) offerings. Offer too many options, and there's a big problem.