Why more is less
Is our culture's infatuation and addiction to choices, options, and features making us unhappy? A new book by Barry Schwartz called "The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less" is suggesting just that. Schwartz, a professor of Social Theory and Social Action, says that when we are exposed to too many choices we become overwhelmed, which leads to unhappiness and even depression.
Schwartz goes on to say that we seek out the very choices that make us unhappy - that we are attracted to them, like bugs to the bug zapper.
This idea has major implications for us designers. If true, our job will be to create experiences that provide balance between stark simplicity and overwhelming complexity. We need to make users feel comfortable, in control, confident and happy by offering the perfect balance between open exploration and focus.
Check out Schwartz's book. It challenges some of our basic assumptions about choice, freedom, quantity and happiness.
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