Too much choice undermines happiness
- Thread starter S.A.M.
- Start date
I tell my daughter what to wear and she's happy.
I pick out 3 outfits for her to choose from and she freaks out. She just stresses over it.
(I think that's why religion works for so many people. They don't have to think and choose, they just do as they are told)
I pick out 3 outfits for her to choose from and she freaks out. She just stresses over it.
(I think that's why religion works for so many people. They don't have to think and choose, they just do as they are told)
Not really. Most of us are inherently stubborn and bias to what we consider right? Given choices we would pretty much sought through them all to automatically find the one we find most appealing and in tune with our morals and ethics. More choice means we have to think more as well upon the choices we come across. Some of us have better grasp of action and consequences and will consider the choices presented to them more analytically before making that choice. I say the more is better as the more choices we have the more we a likely to attempt analysis of possible conbsequences of the choices. Hence more chance of being satisfied by the choices we make (which equates to happiness in choice at the time). However many of us will always ponder those choices they made were wrong and will always regret hence never be happy.
If only people have an attitude whereby they accept choices they made as part of what makes them them, then there wouldn't be so much unhappiness based on past choice.
Fear of failure is something that only comes up when the choice is of major risk to their life or financial standing. Many choices we come across needs us to be educated on the matter in which case it's only logical that we educate ourselves on it before making the decision.
As for indecision... Would it not be more satisfying to be decisive with choices than to possibly regret the wasted hesitancy?
Unreasonable expectations only applies to dreamers. Those with such expectations obviously didn't even try to think through much at all when they're making their choice.
Lastly all I'm going to say is if we don't try then we don't know. Analyse choices and think plausible consiquences. Don't leave yourself in a state of indecision. If a choice comes up whereby it's a huge risk and creates fear of failure then weigh the risk then use educated guess or logic. Don't have too much concern over your decision and take it as a worthy life experience to help with future choices. Never look back on mistakes other than as valuable lessons. Don't worry be happy.
As consumers we should be happy with choices available and I can't say there's ever enough. I can't be more happier if there's more. If any group challenge the right to freedom of choice then I would be totally pissed. Sometimes choices on offer are not to our taste. Don't be a grump about it as others might find it appealing. It just means it's not for you. It's annoying when people complain about something not in their taste that might appeal to others and challenge the existence of those choices. Freedon of choice with limited option also suck but what can you do. Time is perhaps the main problem with too many choices.
That's my two cents on this topic.
If only people have an attitude whereby they accept choices they made as part of what makes them them, then there wouldn't be so much unhappiness based on past choice.
Fear of failure is something that only comes up when the choice is of major risk to their life or financial standing. Many choices we come across needs us to be educated on the matter in which case it's only logical that we educate ourselves on it before making the decision.
As for indecision... Would it not be more satisfying to be decisive with choices than to possibly regret the wasted hesitancy?
Unreasonable expectations only applies to dreamers. Those with such expectations obviously didn't even try to think through much at all when they're making their choice.
Lastly all I'm going to say is if we don't try then we don't know. Analyse choices and think plausible consiquences. Don't leave yourself in a state of indecision. If a choice comes up whereby it's a huge risk and creates fear of failure then weigh the risk then use educated guess or logic. Don't have too much concern over your decision and take it as a worthy life experience to help with future choices. Never look back on mistakes other than as valuable lessons. Don't worry be happy.
As consumers we should be happy with choices available and I can't say there's ever enough. I can't be more happier if there's more. If any group challenge the right to freedom of choice then I would be totally pissed. Sometimes choices on offer are not to our taste. Don't be a grump about it as others might find it appealing. It just means it's not for you. It's annoying when people complain about something not in their taste that might appeal to others and challenge the existence of those choices. Freedon of choice with limited option also suck but what can you do. Time is perhaps the main problem with too many choices.
That's my two cents on this topic.
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How does the number of choices lead to "unreasonable expectations"?
Those are human personality or character traits and ain't got nothin' to do with the number of choices available to them. They'd be indecisive and have a fear of failure with only one choice.
Baron Max
Would you have more expectations from yourself/someone if you/they had limited choices available to them (no education, background, wealth, family) or if you/they did?
That's only one type of choice, Sam. Choice can also be what movie to watch; what color dress to buy; what burger to eat.
But as I said, it's not the number of choices that's the problem, it's inability, or the difficulty, of a person to make any choice, regardless of the number.
And worse, you're making it a condition of "happiness" ....which is, of course, foolish and ridiculous.
Baron Max
So if you had 15 different commitments to choose from in a day, you'd be happier?
Commitments as in things to do, that would affect you as well as other people. If you had to choose between a few commitments in a day and several commitments in a day, what would make you happier?
You're not making any sense, Sam! Commitments are things that you've ALREADY decided to do, committed to do, made the choice earlier, ....so now, once those commitments have been made, there should be no choice at all .....you commited to do them, damn it, you don't "choose" between them!! And happiness has nothing to do with it.
Baron Max
But we're speaking hypothetically, if you had a choice between few and several.
As usual, you've now become nothing but poking at people ....with nothing to say, no answers about anything.
No thanks, Sam, I'm not playing you're silly game ....you're not worth the typing effort ....as usual!
Baron Max
Pandaemoni
Valued Senior Member
In my experience "too much choice" leads to "satisficing" selection strategies. Whether it leads to unrealistic expectations or a fear of failure depends on the circumstances and the individual, not on the number of choices.
I know many people with limited options (perhaps even only one practical option) who maintain unrealistic expectations or who fear failing.
Indecision is something that might well be greatly heightened by the larger number of choices, but I suspect that only happens when people have too many choices to fully evaluate them all in the time allotted (hence satisficing becomes an attractive selection strategy to conserve time) or where the individual can't determine, a priori, which of the choices will lead to the best outcome (which again makes a satisficing strategy a useful strategy, if only to save time). In the latter case, "indecision" is mainly what we call the process of trying and failing to distinguish amongst the potentially similar outcomes.
Compare two cases in which you have to pick one and only one option: In Case 1, you are given three options from which to choose. In Case 2, you have several hundred options from which to select. Whether Case 1 is better than Case 2 ill depend on a variety of factors other than the number of options. If every single option in Case 2 is preferred to each of the options in Case 1, then Case 2 could well be strictly superior. Say, for example, that Case 1 consists of "You pay me $10," "You pay me $5," and "You pay me $50" whereas the worst option in Case 2 is "I pay you $1." Once you learn that that is the worst option in Case 2, surely you'll prefer Case 2 over the trilemma of Case 1.
Of course, in evaluating Case 2, you will have to spend more time reviewing and mentally trying to organize the multiplicity of options available, and that time and effort are "costs" to you. Satisficing reduces these costs by allowing you to not fully evaluate each option in full. Instead you set certain minimum standards of acceptability and then you take the first option that meets all those standards.
sounds like my son!! i tell him what to wear because i dont want all the clothes over his bedroom floor! :bugeye:
and i hate shopping with my teenage daughter because she can never decide what she wants, and it drives me amd, and i dont like having to much chice either!!