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Video: The paradox of choice - why more choices are often bad

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brotherS:
Video: The paradox of choice - why more choices are often bad

At PC Forum 2006 in Carlsbad, Calif., Barry Schwartz, the author of "The Paradox of Choice," talks about why greater freedom and more choices often make us feel worse.

5 minutes 11 seconds
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I read about this topic before, this video has examples from shopping at the super-market, speed-dating and fund-picking: http://news.com.com/1606-2_3-6054793.html

Now how do I download the video? :huh:

nudone:
agreed. yet, i live in the UK where 'choice' is nothing like it is the US and i'm still paralysed. it's trivial but i noticed it at a young age - just trying to pick out which chocolate bar i'd buy from a shop.

it's always been a bit of a joke between my friends when we're in a shop together and we all start complaining that there is too much choice.

it's nice to hear someone confirm our suspicions in a more academic way.

m_s:
That's great!  Thanks for the link brotherS.  It keys into the kinds of discussion they have over on 37signals' excellent blog, Signal Vs Noise: http://www.37signals.com/svn/

This is a subject that I've become very interested in: how to reduce to essences without giving away what is needed for clear communication.  But I'm coming at it more from a point of view of life than of design.

Having grown up in South Africa, we had even less choice than England - I was a little shocked on my first visit to a UK supermarket.  But not nearly as shocked as I was when trying to pick up a snack in a Manhattan drug store!

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