<p>Social media wasn't even a gleam in my eye when I first read <em>The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less</em> by Barry Schwartz five years ago. Rereading it last weekend, Schwartz's argument that the abundance of choice can be detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being takes on new meaning in our burgeoning social media paradise.</p> <p>Early in the book, Schwartz paraphrases Nobel prize-winning economist and philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya%20Sen">Amartya Sen</a> as follows:</p> <p><em>[Sen] suggests that instead of being fetishistic about freedom of choice, we should ask ourselves whether it nourishes us or deprives us, whether it makes us mobile or hems us in, whether it enhances self-respect or diminishes it, and whether it enables us to participate in our communities or prevents us from doing so. Freedom is essential to self-respect, public participation, mobility, and nourishment, but not all choice enhances freedom. In particular, increased choice among goods and services may contribute little or nothing to the kind of freedom that counts. Indeed, it may impair freedom by taking time and energy we'd be better off devoting to other matters.</em></p> <p><em></em>Any of that resonate for you in a social media context? On the one hand, the proliferation of social media tools, communities of shared interests, platforms for the wider dissemination of ideas and opinion, etc., is a great thing. On the other hand, the seemingly infinite number of tools, communities, platforms, etc., can be overwhelming and enervating.</p> <p>Abundance of choice has made each choice we make more complex, Schwartz says. Choice overload makes you question the decisions you make. And while each choice may solve a problem, it creates a whole new set of problems requiring our attention.</p> <p>Schwartz illustrates his thesis with examples of choosing the right jeans, the right health care plan and even the right soul mate. But if the overwhelming embarrassment of riches that is theinternet offers us unlimited opportunities for social engagement, doesn't it also threaten to paralyze us in our tracks, investing more and more time in determining the right tools, the right places to be, the right people to follow, the right places to comment, and so on? At what point does the investment of time and energy tip over into a colossal time suck where costs outweigh the benefits?</p> <p>Schwartz does offer advice on how to limit choices to a manageable number and focus on those of greatest value while ignoring the rest (no easy task).&nbsp; You'll have to read the book to get the full picture, but here's a quick synopsis:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Choose when to choose.</strong> Managing the problem of excessive choice requires deciding which choices matter most and focusing our time and energy there. This means letting many opportunities to choose to pass us by.</li> <li><strong>Be a chooser, not a picker.</strong> Choosers determine which decisions are important and whether a choice even must be made. Pickers are more reactive, passively selecting from whatever is available.</li> <li><strong>Satisfice more and maximize less.</strong> Learning to accept "good enough" rather than always seeking the best simplifies decision making and increases satisfaction in your choices.</li> <li><strong>Think about the opportunity costs of opportunity costs.</strong> Ignoring opportunity costs can lead to overestimating the value of the choices we make, but dwelling too much on them lessens the satisfaction we derive from our choices. Schwartz suggests sticking with a choice once made unless truly dissatisfied, and avoiding the temptations presented by the many "new" and "better" choices that inevitably will come down the pike.</li> <li><strong>Make your decisions non-reversible.</strong> Here's a tough one in the era of "Free." But final decisions enable you to move on to other issues and options.</li> <li><strong>Practice an "attitude of gratitude." </strong>Strive to be more grateful for what's good about your choice and be less disappointed in what's lacking.</li> <li><strong>Regret less.</strong> Regret that becomes so pronounced that it poisons or prevents decisions should be minimized.</li> <li><strong>Anticipate adaptation.</strong> The initial satisfaction we experience from our choices doesn't remain strong. Be realistic about how your experience of your choice is going to change over time.</li> <li><strong>Control expectations.</strong> Eliminate excessively high expectations by reducing the number of options you consider and allow for a degree of serendipity that results in unexpected pleasures.</li> <li><strong>Curtail social comparison.</strong> Stop paying so much attention to how (and what) others are doing around you.</li> <li><strong>Learn to love constraints.</strong> Accepting certain rules, standards or limits frees you from making the same decisions over and over again. Focus your energy on the options and decisions where no rules apply.</li> </ol> <p>If you haven't read <em>The Paradox of Choice</em>, this is one choice I encourage you to make. Then consider how Schwartz's advice might help you deal better with the abundance of choice we're all contending with in our little digital cornucopia.</p> 2009-09-29T06:23:01Z -2.1872 166 6703 true 12 38103 social-media-and-the-paradox-of-choice 0 2009-09-29T09:42:02Z 2009-09-29T16:42:34Z

The abundance of choice can be detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being, especially in the brave new world of social media. These tips will help you manage your choices and be happier with the ones you make.

1 2009-09-29T16:42:34Z