Paradox Of Choice

1) According to Barry, what two negative effects occur from having too many choices? Please briefly explain in your own words. (3 marks)

During the video, Barry says that if someone has too many choices it will bring two negative effects. The first one, he calls it paradoxically. He explains that paradoxically means if we have too many choices, it will create a paralysis instead of a liberation.So,when there is a little amount or just one choice for an item that you need or want to have, it will be easier to choice.There is another side of that and it’s that it becomes too difficult to chose an item when you have a lot of them in front of you. You will start to question yourself to know which one is the best?Which one is the lowest?You will think about the quality, the shape…etc. You will think about caracteristics of the item. You will think too much and become lost in your mind.So, you will just don’t buy it or report it for a next time.

Also, there is another negative effect on having too much choices. Secondly, even if we are able to pass over the paradoxically and make a choice, we finish to be less satified by the final result of the choice that we would be with less options that we have to chose. The first reason is that if we chose something that we think that is perfect, but isn’t, we will imediately think that another product will be perfect instead of it. So, this process creates a regret in your head that decrease the satisaftion that we have about the choice even if it was a good decision.More there are options, easier it will be to regret the decision.The next reson is called the opportunity cost. It’s a comparaison about all of the good aspects of your choice against the good aspects of what you rejected.

So, it make the choices less attractive and worst than before. Even if the option that we choose is the best, we will think that we lost something else.Thirdly, there is the escalation of expectations. This is when you have low expectations about a product and your expectations go up after you have it.Before, you always tought that you can have one specific things, but now, there are hundred of choices.That bring us to think it’s sure that one product is perfect on the lot. You think that your product is not good enough.It creates lowest expectation for a result, even if it’s a godd result. To conclude, Barry said that paradoxically is created by being faced of too many choices and even if we go over the paradoxically we will always regret our choices.

2) According to Barry, what is the secret to happiness? Do you agree or disagree? Please briefly explain in your own words (2 marks)

In the video, Barry says that the secret of happiness is to have low expectations and I agree his sentence. When you buy something, you always want the best quality and it’s normal to think that you don’t have the best product and there is another one better. So, if you have low expectations about the product, you will feel better when you have it. Why? Because the product can’t be worst as your expectations. When you are faced too a lot of choices, you want to make the best choice for you. You want to make choices that will be good for you, but it’s sure that you will regret it and compare it with the other choices. You will feel disappointed about it , even if it’s the best choice. Everyone has high standards and it’s a reason they always feel disappointed about those standards.

Notes:
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