Comments on: Archive: Barry Schwartz on the paradox of choice, on TED.com http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/ The TED Blog shares interesting news about TED, TEDTalks video, the TED Prize and more. Mon, 20 May 2013 06:05:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Marc Bookmeyer http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-835 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-835 What you are looking at is indecision, fear of making the wrong choice. So your solution is to take away choice so we would be right, all the time, because there literally was no other choice. And we could blame the world for not satisfying us, instead of blaming ourselves for not finding the perfect match for us. Being your own authority, means being responsibility for your own actions, it also means taking responsibility for outcomes based on the decisions that you make. I would always prefer an open arena in where my success are my success and my failures are my failures instead of the spoon feed world where my success and failures would be limited by the structured system and smaller thinking that less choice would lead. What you are taking about is limiting choice is also limiting life. Life is choice. Loving the adventure to finding that perfect match. Perhaps it is finding that perfect match that gives us the strength to keep looking for more. It takes work find out what we like. But finding it is a joy that lasts a lifetime. And as you continue to add upon what you have found that you like, you joy builds. The key is continually putting more options before you so that you can make that choice. Less choice would mean less chance you will find what truly fits you.

More choice.. Well seems obvious to me, of course I want more choice. Always.

Was it hard to pick your favorite ice cream flavor? So you taste some bad flavors. Move on. You never have to taste it again. And never substitute someones word for the actual experience of doing it yourself. One person’s hell is another heaven. Someone might swear swimming is hell, but you find you love it…

]]> By: Daniel Matthis http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-836 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-836 I like 3 combination of choice when it comes to goods and services.

Good, fast, and cheep. Pick 2.

]]> By: Daniel Matthis http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-837 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-837 To Marc Bookmeyer,

I think the problem also lies in with the a combination of wisdom, risk aversion, and liberty. Those who are not inclined to being wise enough to make those decisions, don’t want the risk, and will trade liberty for and easy life will run into the problem that Barry is pointing out.

As much as i would like to think most people want to be responsible for themselves the reality is that most do not. It’s easier to have someone else make the “tough” decisions for you. So now the question is how do you accommodate both?

The people who drive business want choice and options but the people who often work in the business tend not to want the risk. The entrepreneur takes risk and responsibility to reap rewards and brings about innovation while the 9-5 work generally seeks security in their job.

]]> By: Marc Bookmeyer http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-838 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-838 To Daniel Matthis,

I would argue that we have a culture designed to produce people that exactly fit the description you allude to: not inclined to being wise enough to make decisions. Correction of this situation is either a mass awakening, or a concerted effort to reorganize our schools and start with our youth. Stop giving the kids stuff to memorize and teach them to use their minds. Teach them critical thinking skills.

]]> By: Angela Edwards http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-839 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-839 His findings don’t really surprise me. I think Daniel Matthis has it correct:

“As much as i would like to think most people want to be responsible for themselves the reality is that most do not. It’s easier to have someone else make the “tough” decisions for you. So now the question is how do you accommodate both? ”

People tend to choose the path of least resistance, just like electricity and just like water. Being responsible for ourselves, as Daniel has correctly pointed out, is rather tough.

Angela

]]> By: Jenny Hopper http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-840 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-840 The path of least resistance is another term for lazy, most people do not want to do the work needed to get what thay want, there wants and needs get confused I must say. We must live in the bed that we make. One’s vison must be focused.

]]> By: steve james http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-841 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-841 Choice is good and an abundance of choice is even better provided one has the education and knowledge to make an informed decision and overcome analysis paralysis and move forward.
What of a youth growing up in a gang dominated inner city ghetto I should imagine he thinks of his choices and options in life as rather limited. Offering these children more options would improve their chances wouldn’t they?

Steve

]]> By: simon paul http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-842 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-842 Having someone else make decisions for you that affect your life sounds a hell of a lot like communism or big brother to me. Creating a prosperous, safe free society with an abundance of choice while idealistic, should always be our ultimate goal as human beings.

hidden wall safes

]]> By: anand suppiah http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-843 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-843 The speed of my internet connection is ridiculously bad, but i still watched.. Leaving that aside, i really beleive that too much of choice is not that good after all. We waste more time considering which to choose than acting on it. a perfect speech.

Imagine looking at your wife going trough the stores.. sometimes i just wish they had 1 type of clothes.

anand suppiah

]]> By: Cruttera Dotcom http://blog.ted.com/2008/08/13/archive_barry_s/comment-page-1/#comment-844 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog-staging.ted.com/2008/08/archive_barry_s/#comment-844 I loved reading Barry Schwartz’s editorials in the New York Times.
positive thinking

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