Intro
“When products are essentially equivalent, people go with what’s familiar, even if it’s only familiar because they know its name from advertising.”
― Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Writer and psychologist Barry Schwartz has a vision for our future. In it, there is less choice, less rules, and there are less faulty ideas about human nature. His work challenges us to think outside the box about the potential of humanity, and to abandon our preconceived notions of what will make us happy.
Drawing on psychological research into the differences between human and animal cognition, and human happiness and decision making, Schwartz’s theories have shaped the ideas behind his extensive body of work. Schwartz is famous for his provocative ideas that ultimately speak to what can make humans less stressed and more pleased with their lives. His most recent and perhaps most relevant work, Brilliant: The Art and Science of Making Better Decisions, offers 14 guided lectures on how to make decisions that improve your life.
Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.
– Barry Schwartz, Barry Schwartz
