Ataraxia

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Fabulous Classic-

10 out 10

This is one of the classics of psychology and it is also accessible, entertaining and a very rewarding read.

And to think that I nearly missed it.

I have started the book quite some time ago, maybe one year ago only to be disappointed by the beginning.

The first chapter and its impact on me confirm actually one of the important points in the Paradox of Choice.

- When we are faced with too many choices we do not end up happier…on the contrary

This is what I may have experienced, when starting to read this work I got tired with the choices that the author talked about.

He is in a shop where he tries to buy some jeans, unaware of the way they are sold nowadays, in a multitude of options-

- Pre washed, with cuts, a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes.

Faced with an infinity of choices, we tend to get tired and frustrated, perhaps because we have been programmed to “take it or leave it”

The author offers some very valuable advice

- When you opt between various calling plans, insurance offers and other propositions-

- Take into consideration that you are better off, without considering all possible options on the planet

Be a satisficer not a maximize

This means that we need to avoid looking for the Perfect solution, because there is no such thing.

Instead, be Satisfied with the Good Enough and stop chasing for White Whales and the like, endeavor which will exhaust and disappoint you.

Be grateful for the option you have made and its advantages- this is a recommendation made by all great psychologists:

- From Martin Seligman to Sonja Lyubomirsky, from Tal Ben Shahar to Ed Diener

The author refers to the research made by the first two mentioned above and the issue of comparing with others-

When we compare with other people who have done better, we tend to be unhappy with our achievement

And vice versa, when we look to others who have performed worse, we are likely to feel better- but not necessarily.

When participants in studies are asked what they would prefer-

- To have $ 50,000 when colleagues are paid with $ 25,000- or to have $ 100,000 when the rest are getting $ 200,000-

- Most of the people choose option 1- what would you choose?

In The How of Happiness, Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky has established as rule number three-

- Do not compare yourself to others.

Social comparison is destructive and we should try to avoid it and say that good enough is what we need.

There are many interesting issues that cannot be detailed here and your obvious best choice is to read the book….

In the end-

Focus on what makes you happy and learn why more is less

Or in the words of Mies van der Rohe-

- “less is more”