The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

The success and convenience of modernity and its many choices has come with the price of distress and dissatisfaction. Schwartz suggests that there are solutions to this pervasive problem, but that they will require discipline and a new mindset. His first piece of advice is to “Choose When to Choose” (222). Since being confronted with choices has a cumulative, negative effect on one’s mental health, Schwartz recommends restricting one’s choices. For instance, if you need some new clothes, you could limit yourself to looking at two stores.

The next solution is to “Be A Chooser, Not A Picker” (224). This means thinking about your choices and how they contribute to your goals, rather than spontaneously picking an option. In Schwartz’s opinion, choosers make better decisions and are more likely to create opportunities for themselves in their choices. Thirdly, people should “Satisfice More and Maximize Less” (225). This means feeling satisfied with a certain standard rather than chasing perfection and dwelling on regrets. Next, the author tells the reader to “Think About the Opportunity Costs of Opportunity Costs” (227). In other words, stick to tried-and-true buying patterns in order to not waste time and emotional energy weighing the value of other possible choices.