Most people think that choice is good. After all, we associate choice with autonomy, control, independence and desirable outcomes. In reality, however, this is not the case. As Schwartz emphasizes, too many choices actually lead to less happiness, a lower sense of control, and even paralysis. And this is the paradox he addresses: we think we want more choices, but when we have more options we are, in general, less satisfied.
Second, we are plagued by regret, considering options we did not choose. If I take a job with a good salary, I might regret not taking the job with the better location. I might even regret not waiting for a hypothetical job that has both good location and good salary. All the other possibilities diminish from my pleasure in my choice.
Third, humans have a remarkable ability to adapt to whatever situation we are in so that a decision that is originally exciting gradually becomes normal, leaving us again unsatisfied with our choice. I might get a new wonderful computer, but after a few years, even though my computer needs have not really changed and the computer still works well, my expectations about what my computer should do for me have changed. I am no longer satisfied with my computer and my choice to buy it seems bad.
And finally, we are constantly comparing ourselves to those around us, sizing up our choices against those of others. There is always someone with a better outcome. Getting a B+ on a hard exam can seem great if everyone else failed the exam, but the same grade feels like a failure if the rest of the class got As.
Second, we are plagued by regret, considering options we did not choose. If I take a job with a good salary, I might regret not taking the job with the better location. I might even regret not waiting for a hypothetical job that has both good location and good salary. All the other possibilities diminish from my pleasure in my choice.
Third, humans have a remarkable ability to adapt to whatever situation we are in so that a decision that is originally exciting gradually becomes normal, leaving us again unsatisfied with our choice. I might get a new wonderful computer, but after a few years, even though my computer needs have not really changed and the computer still works well, my expectations about what my computer should do for me have changed. I am no longer satisfied with my computer and my choice to buy it seems bad.
And finally, we are constantly comparing ourselves to those around us, sizing up our choices against those of others. There is always someone with a better outcome. Getting a B+ on a hard exam can seem great if everyone else failed the exam, but the same grade feels like a failure if the rest of the class got As.