THE PARADOX OF CHOICE: WHY MORE IS LESS. HOW THE CULTURE OF ABUNDANCE ROBS US OF SATISFACTION By Barry Schwartz, Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton I'm in the market for a new tablet. There are so many good choices. There are things I like about Apple and Android. Then I think about getting close to a lightweight laptop--so, I think about Windows. Schwartz is right--at least based on my experience! Schwartz attributes his thinking about The Paradox of Choice to the preparation of an article on self-determination for the American Psychologist. In this 265-page paperback, he explores the "darker side" of freedom using humor, examples from daily life, and easily understood accounts of psychological research to illustrate the psychological cost of an over-abundance of choice. In the prologue, Schwartz grants that choice is essential to autonomy, which in turn provides the grounds for well-being. However, his thesis is tha...
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