Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Choice?

Does having too many choices undermine our chance at happiness? Psychologist Barry Schwartz believes it does. He says that the smorgasbord of choices available to the average person in the areas of food, clothing, electronics, technology, lifestyle, entertainment, and even career leaves us with unreasonably high expectations which, more often than not, leads to misery.

Were we happier when life was simpler? Is the secret to success - as he proposes - having low expectations? Is there a point of saturation, where one more variety of salad dressing won't enhance our lives? That's what he believes. And he's written a book about it entitled The Paradox of Choice.

I love having lots of choices, myself. But there does come a time, I believe, when more is not necessarily better. Who hasn't been to the video store and been so overwhelmed with the selection that they finally just walked out without renting anything?

If you want to know more about The Paradox of Choice, watch the video below. Barry Schwartz is a very entertaining speaker with a great sense of humor. Watch his presentation or that of 128 other great speakers on a variety of subjects. Too much choice?