AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Barry schwartz ted 200912/9/2023 Just don’t set your expectations too high for the other 230. Was it a good read you ask me? Well, it was a good read for the first 70 or so pages. Overall:Ī Paradox of Choice is an insightful book with interesting case studies but sometimes a tad repetitive. ![]() The real downer to me is that Schwartz’ conclusions are sometimes based on mere speculation and haven’t always been validated through scientific research, which, to me, undermines his arguments and the credibility of the book. This little jeans example illustrates how he adds unnecessary complexity to certain situations, but fortunatly enough he used better examples throughout the book. For Schwartz, however, this was his first time experience with something called a boot-cut. Don’t get me wrong, I understand Schwartz’ critique and I do follow his theory about the excessive amount of choice, but to me it’s normal that stores offer more than the “ideal body type” of pants. People tend to lean toward one of two categories: maximisers, who want to ensure they get the most out of the choices they make and satisficers, who tend to adopt a ‘this is good enough. Hundred different cuts in different sizes and colors. He describes, for example, the agony of buying a pair of jeans. Maybe this is nitpicking but Barry Schwartz sounds, from time to time, like Statler or Waldorf from the Muppets, by complaining about the excessive amount of choices he has to make. If you have never heard of Opportunity Costs, Anchoring, Escalation of Commitment, etc, then this could be your book. The Paradox of Choice is an easy to read book with plenty of interesting thoughts and does a great job of outlining various psychological realities about the concept of choice. ![]() It could best be described as a book about self-improvement, being applicable to your everyday life, and not as a science book as such. You will not find “The Paradox of Choice” in a lot of UX Book Collections, including mine, because it is not your typical UX book. The discussion is thought-provoking, to say the least. He goes further by saying that it will result in unrealistically high expectations, blaming ourselves for failure, perpetual stress and even clinical depression. But for Barry Schwartz, excessive choice could cause a cognitive burden, which actually leads us to a less satisfied life. We assume that more choice means better options and a greater satisfaction.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |