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Choiceology · May 19, 2025 · 31m
Too Many Options: The Paradox of Choice in the Modern World
Why having more options can make us less happy and less likely to choose at all. Explores choice overload, satisficing vs. maximizing, and practical strategies for navigating a world of infinite options.
Canon
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Milkman: 'satisficers' (people who choose the first option that meets their criteria) are consistently happier than 'maximizers' (people who exhaustively compare all options to find the best). Maximizers make slightly better objective choices but are significantly less satisfied with them.
Highlights
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Choice overload — too many options leads to decision paralysis and lower satisfaction
Milkman: when presented with too many options, people often choose nothing — and when they do choose, they're less satisfied than if they'd had fewer options. More choice can paradoxically reduce both action and happiness.