The Paradox of Choice
Why More is Less
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The Paradox of Choice
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Narrated by:
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Ken Kliban
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By:
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Barry Schwartz
About this listen
In the spirit of Alvin Tofflers' Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret.
Whether were buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions - both big and small - have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.
We assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.
In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice - the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish - becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice--from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs--has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.
©2004 Barry Schwartz (P)2010 Audible, Inc.What listeners say about The Paradox of Choice
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-08-2019
Thank you
This book was life changing. Thank you Barry Schwartz for helping us maximisers to be happier! Well performed and easy to listen to.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Karl
- 16-09-2016
Very good book, bad first 2 chapters
If you can battle through the first two chapters, the rest of the book is great.
Highly recommended read :)
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- LS
- 27-02-2020
Great book!
Absolutely loved this book. So relevant to the world we live in. Good insights and useful tips that everyone can use.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- E. Stamatakis
- 15-09-2021
A great book. Ignore the slow start
It in a relatively slow and not so interesting way but from 1/3 in it evolves into an excellent book. Worth persevering
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 07-02-2023
Amazing listen
Important for everyone to know in this day and age, heading into 2023. The concept of being a satisfiser is 💪
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- BK
- 15-08-2023
I'm not sure how much I learnt from it
Very detailed listing of items at the start of the book, which wasn't really necessary from my point of view. It took too long to get into the main content, which I was interested in hearing about.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C. Matchett
- 19-12-2021
Lifechanging
Listen and learn, satisficing vs depression. I think for me saticficing may be key to reaching the state of good enough…
Thank you for writing this book. If you have read many books on improving productivity, avoiding procrastination like me then you may find this the glue that brings them together. Why task focusing works, tiny habits work and you may never Xmas shop the same way again
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael H
- 12-01-2019
I loved this book
I loved this book so much I listened to it all in one day. Many of us have wondered why it is so tough to make even simple decisions in this complex world we live in. This book explains why it can be very difficult when we are faced with too many choices and the book clearly shows that the modern world has far too many choices for us. There was a lot of information in the book I'd never heard before.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-10-2017
Great concept - important learnings for everyone
Loved it. Heavy in information, and was a struggle to absorb while driving. One I'll listen to again, and probably while I can take down notes and learnings
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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- Oscar Villegas
- 12-10-2019
An interesting but tedious reading/listening.
Endless and pointless shopping list in the first two chapters. interesting researches but boring with the level of details.
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