The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less By Barry Schwartz               Harper Perennial 2004 Barry Schwartz begins this terrific book with his trip to The GAP to buy a pair of jeans.  It seemed simple enough – until the salesperson asked a few questions: did he want them slim fit, easy fit, relaxed fit, baggy or extra baggy?  Did he want them stonewashed, acid-washed or distressed.  Did he want button fly or zipper fly?  Faded or regular?  Suddenly a relatively unimportant purchase became a complicated and time-consuming project.  “Now it was a complex decision in which I was forced to invest time, energy, and no small amount of self-doubt, anxiety and dread.”  That’s just the beginning of his fascinating exploration of the world of choice.  We live in a society where we have more options than ever before – in food, clothes, cars, technology, entertainment, you name it.  Many people would consider a wide array of choices to be a good thing.  But Schwartz’s thesis is that, empirically, this isn’t true.  It actually leads to a lot of problems and disappointment. In his clear and readable style, he explains why. The book’s subtitle is “How The Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction”.  The author explores the varied reasons why trying to choose from too many options is both difficult and unfulfilling.   For example, we often make choices based on past experiences.  What restaurant or vacation spot did we enjoy the most?  But our memory of previous situations is often faulty.  (He tells us why.) Expectations affect our satisfaction. The more we expect, the less likely that our choice will bring us the hoped-for pleasure.  Another trap is comparisons.  We compare with what others have, with media images – or even with an imagined ideal.   Our own choices can’t measure up.  Missed opportunities (real or imagined) present another source of disappointment.  ‘If I choose this school, I won’t be able to live in that town or neighborhood.’  If I choose this restaurant because of its great food, I’ll miss the music and ambiance of that cafe.   Schwartz introduces us to “the maximizer” (who seeks and accepts only the best) and the “satisficer” (who is prepared to settle for “good enough”, not worrying that there might be something better out there.)  While maximizers might make the best choice in objective terms, they’re much more likely to be dissatisfied with their choice. There is a chapter on “the Problem of Adaptation”.  In essence, we get used to things.  The excitement and thrill fades over time. While this adaptation process is inevitable, built into us psychologically, we don’t expect it to happen.  So it comes as an unpleasant surprise rather than a predictable occurrence.  Finally, Professor Schwartz offers solutions for easing the burden of decision-making.  One suggestion is to choose when to choose. Not every choice merits large amounts of time and effort.  Another is to the limit the number of options to consider.  As Schwartz puts it, “by restricting our options, we will be able to choose less and feel better.” Walk into any bookstore and you’ll be overwhelmed by the range of choices facing you.  Let me offer some help.  Wander over to the psychology section and choose to buy  “The Paradox of Choice”.  It’s a great read.