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The Paradox of Choice: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

nytimes.com

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Re: The Paradox of Choice: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

#11

Post by xirium »

jkush wrote: post #5

Jesus, this is so weird. I've been spending the last few weeks trying to articulate a theory about the illusion of choice being used as a framework for power (can you tell by that statement I haven't quite figured it out just yet?). The discussion yesterday ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=123081 ) about how to break out of paradigms and the Paradox of Choice are closely tied together with the idea I'm working o…

You may be interested in The Paradox Of Choice - Why Less Is More ( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6127548813950043200&... ).

Re: The Paradox of Choice: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

#12

Post by robg »

jkush wrote: post #10
robg wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See also (where I got the more descriptive phrase in the title): http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/93 http://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-Why-More-Less/dp/006000... To me, it also ties in with embodiment theory ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=123243 ). We think we'd rather have the buffet, especially on first sight and with an empty stomach. But after gorging ourselves we realize we would have much ra…

I agree with you. What I'm more interested in however, is who really gets to say what dishes are on the buffet? The cooks? The consumers? My gut tells me the consumers have a lot less choice than it appears.

If it's your restaurant, you do! Now, if you want to stay in business better to offer a few dishes (not a buffet) that people would kill to eat delivered by cooks who love great, simple food.

(And yes, we can run with this line of thought all day. Mmmmmmm, embodiment.)

Re: The Paradox of Choice: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

#14

Post by SirWart »

fleaflicker wrote: post #7

There is a startup equivalent to destroying your retreat options (from "How not to die"): I wish every startup we funded could appear in a Newsweek article describing them as the next generation of billionaires, because then none of them would be able to give up. The success rate would be 90%. I'm not kidding.

I definitely tell people I'm going to be working on a startup over the summer to force myself to do it. It's a surprisingly effective method actually.

Re: The Paradox of Choice: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

#18

Post by ardit33 »

mynameishere wrote: post #16

I'm surprised by the war analogies. Withdrawals are an essential part of military strategy.

It is a good analogy. During WWII the soviet red army got smashed at the beginning by the germans, and was in retread (lost a lot of men and equipment). Millions of soldiers were captured. Hitler gave the order to summary execute all commanders and communist members found in each unit.

Meanwhile, Stalin, pissed at the poor performance of its army, gave order to execute all the commanders who retreated, or their units gave up to the germans.

Giving up, ment certain death, retreating ment execution, so the red army commanders; from simple captains, to even generals, were left with literally one choice: Fight to their death.

At the end, we all know who won the war.

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