The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

In the spirit of Alvin Toffler?s Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. This paperback includes a new P.S. section with author interviews, insights, features, suggested readings, and more.

Whether we?re 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.

By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on the important ones and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

Price Range:$4.63 to $11.99 | 5 stores
Product Rating:

100 Reviews
Info:
Set Price Alert Save to Wish List
Tags:
Paperback, Barry Schwartz, HotBookSale.com, Barnes & Noble, Buy.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble

ComparePrices

title,desc	merchant	price	seeit
Smarter Choice Paperback, The Paradox Of Choice: Why... In the spirit of Alvin Toffler s Future Shock, Schwartz s work is a brilliant ( Christian Science Monitor) and...	23,489 reviews *smarter certified	$8.53	See it
Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less... Decision Making & Problem Solving Business & Economics - Barry Schwartz,Paperback - Reprint,Series: P.S. Series,...	Barnes & Noble	$15 $11.99 Coupon 1 coupon available Code:No Code Required Detail: Free Shipping on orders of $25 at Barnes & Noble Expires:Jun-30-2010 Restriction:see site for more details	See it
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to...	23 reviews	$4.63 Free Shipping	See it
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less Pages: 304, Paperback, Harper Perennial	Amazon 11,393 reviews	$10.79 Coupon 1 coupon available Code:No Code Required Detail: FREE Shipping on orders over $25 at Amazon. Expires:Dec-31-2010 Restriction:Some restrictions apply. See site for details.	See it
Paperback, The Paradox Of Choice: Why... Decision Making & Problem Solving Business & Economics - Barry Schwartz,Paperback - Reprint,Series: P.S. Series,...	Barnes and Noble 20 reviews	$11.99	See it

*Shipping costs are based on an estimate of the lowest shipping rate available within the contiguous US, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Only merchants with this product in stock are listed (Merchants with this product back ordered have been removed from this list).

Do you see a pricing error? Please let us know by filling out a simple form: Click here

MoreStores

Write a review

ProductReviews85/100 (100 Reviews)

Recent Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jan-25-2009; ticked off when you discover someone else got a better deal?; This was a great little booked, very interesting & quick to read -- I picked it up one evening at bedtime and finished it by noon the next day. The main premise is that having more options makes us less satisfied with the options we...; read full review | report as inappropriate

3/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jan-06-2009; An interesting read, but...; ...but I came away thinking the author did not prove his subtitle. He did prove "Why More is Less" but I don't think he showed "How the Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction". I believe a more accurate (although less appealing)...; read full review | report as inappropriate

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jan-02-2009; Too much freedom of choice is bad for us; Summary:While having some freedom of choice is important to our well-being, having hundreds of options to choose from in every aspect of our lives, as we do in the modern world, is bad for us. With too many choices, we feel become...; read full review | report as inappropriate

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Dec-24-2008; More IS Less, it appears; After reading this book, it really does bring home the point that having more stuff to choose from does not necessarily make for a better life. Sometimes it is just one big hassle to have to choose among a bunch of choices, most of...; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jan-25-2009; ticked off when you discover someone else got a better deal?; This was a great little booked, very interesting & quick to read -- I picked it up one evening at bedtime and finished it by noon the next day. The main premise is that having more options makes us less satisfied with the options we...; read full review | report as inappropriate

3/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jan-06-2009; An interesting read, but...; ...but I came away thinking the author did not prove his subtitle. He did prove "Why More is Less" but I don't think he showed "How the Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction". I believe a more accurate (although less appealing)...; read full review | report as inappropriate

2/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Aug-02-2008; Repetitive and pedantic; The author's point is that having too many choices doesn't improve life; and, in fact, it can even be detrimental. It takes extra energy and thought to choose from among the dizzying array of choices that surround us; but that effort...; read full review | report as inappropriate