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Showing posts from June, 2020

The Paradox of Choice- A Book Review by Sutton

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 that at some point, "ch