The paradox of choice; GAS explained

[richard1]

Found this by accident, but apply it to GAS and it all makes perfect sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM

[N+1]

Yes it does.

Am I happier now than I was in 1965 when I bought a plywood Egmond Toledo guitar for £4.50? No. It was rubbish, but it was so much better than having no guitar that I didn't even stop to worry about its rubbishness.

Ok then, am I happier than I was in 1972 when my wife gave me an Eko Ranger 6 for Christmas? No. I was amazed by that Eko. The rubbish Egmond had prepared me well!

Right then. Am I happier than I was in 1998 when I bought my Martin DM? No. I felt as if I had discovered guitar nirvana - a guitar made specially for me, as if Martin knew what I might like best, and built it accordingly. I thought I would never buy another guitar. And I didn't, for the next 16 years.

So now comes the reckoning. I still have the Eko and the DM, but also I have a Martin HD28V; a Taylor 914ce; a Taylor 810e; a Taylor 214ce QM DLX; a Taylor 210e DLX; and a Taylor 150e, stored in the loft. Oh, and I have an electric guitar that I don't like much because I don't like electric quitars much. Am I happier? No. But wait - it has to be said that I am amazed: I look at and play my guitars and I get a thrill out of being able to own and play instruments that once I hardly knew enough to even dream about. But am I happier? No.

I think he's pretty much right.

[fazool]

One of the best video speeches I've ever seen. The fallacy of choice is so toxic and this guy explains it so perfectly.

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by fazool

One of the best video speeches I've ever seen. The fallacy of choice is so toxic and this guy explains it so perfectly.

You know he’s right. A great ingredient to happiness is having low or no expectations. Then you are never disappointed, but often pleasantly surprised.

I personally love all the options we have. Even if I make a bad choice, I enjoy learning why that choice was bad and how I can improve upon that choice next time. This is especially relevant when buying guitars.

Scott

[HHP]

Thought it was baloney. Gourmet baloney maybe, but still baloney.

This is what I call philosophical pandering. Telling people that the problems they face are the result of some external force rather than their own inability to deal with it.

Too much choice is only a problem if you are unable to authoritatively discriminate or to be fully secure in your ability to do so. Basically, finding what you want is dependent on your knowing what you want. If you don't know what you want, you will often be disappointed by any selection you make but the problem isn't the choices, its your inability to discriminate between them.

[phcorrigan]

When I was a kid, your choices for acoustic guitars were pretty much limited to Martin, Guild, Gibson and Gretsch on the higher end, with each company having a couple of models, Harmony and Kay in the mid-range, each company having a couple of models, and, at the low end Stella and Kay, with each company having a couple of models. I know I've left out a couple of companies, but you get the idea. There were, of course, the house brands from companies like Sears, but they were made by the companies previously mentioned. At that time, all of these were built in the USA.

Now, with globalization, there are a plethora of companies making guitars around the world, and nearly every company feels the need to fill every market niche, so almost every manufacturer has guitars in each price range, and the number of models is mind-boggling. (Fortunately, however, even today's low-end guitars are far superior to the old low-end Stellas and Kays.)

Within each model line there are sub-model lines. For example, looking and Martin's web site, I find at least a dozen current versions of the D-28. This does not include custom builds.

The point is, it is now nearly impossible to make a guitar choice without thinking that you might have done better.

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by HHP

This is what I call philosophical pandering. Telling people that the problems they face are the result of some external force rather than their own inability to deal with it.

Interesting philosophy. The 180 opposite would be what?

[Shades of Blue]

Hmm...doesn't make sense. According to Mr Smart Guy, having all these choices should make me less likely to buy a guitar, not more likely!

[HHP]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Interesting philosophy. The 180 opposite would be what?

I don't know. Maybe "grow up" or "you have to carry your own water"?

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

ccording to Mr Smart Guy, having all these choices should make me less likely to buy a guitar, not more likely!

I think what he was saying is that because of so many choices you will always be uncomfortable with the choice you made, wondering if you should have picked something else. I think his jeans example was right on the money.

[richard1]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Hmm...doesn't make sense. According to Mr Smart Guy, having all these choices should make me less likely to buy a guitar, not more likely!

I understood it differently. One would be more likely to buy a guitar, or multiple guitars, by chasing a perfection that can never exist.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

I think what he was saying is that because of so many choices you will always be uncomfortable with the choice you made, wondering if you should have picked something else. I think his jeans example was right on the money.

Well, few weeks ago I bought 2 new pairs of pants. Knew what I wanted, bought them, and I haven't thought about them or the ones I rejected since. I mean, who gets angst or suffers self-doubt over buying pants?

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by HHP

Too much choice is only a problem if you are unable to authoritatively discriminate or to be fully secure in your ability to do so. Basically, finding what you want is dependent on your knowing what you want. If you don't know what you want, you will often be disappointed by any selection you make but the problem isn't the choices, its your inability to discriminate between them.

I do think that for me and most things that I have to choose from day to day - they get culled pretty quickly by the limit of my bank account. That takes a large chunk of the choices right off the table. And the rest does come down to research, knowing what you want and need (and that is not always easy for people to nail down). I do think that there are way more factors at play than what is covered in the video when it comes to depression and suicide. That was kind of a big leap he made there.

Earlier this year I bought a guitar because I was completely seduced by the tone of the instrument. It wasn't the best for me from an ergonomic standpoint and it did sound a lot like a guitar I already had. I am selling it and ordered a custom made guitar from the same luthier. But, I didn't beat myself up or regret the initial decision. It was a choice, I learned from it and I am moving on. I have no long-term problem with taking responsibility for my own decisions no matter how many choices so maybe that is why in terms of the video, I cannot relate to this phenomenon being of such epic proportions. Then again, maybe I don't get out much.

Best,
Jayne

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by HHP

I don't know. Maybe "grow up" or "you have to carry your own water"?

Pretty easy to say if you were born with a bucket in each hand, or had the benefit of family or academic education that taught you the value of critical thinking, introspective examination and self-worth. Sure, we should all be so enlightened, but unfortunately we're not, and the OP's video sheds insightful light on just what the rest of us are facing perhaps unawares in our lowly ignorance.

[BradleyS]

Originally Posted by HHP

Thought it was baloney. Gourmet baloney maybe, but still baloney.

This is what I call philosophical pandering. Telling people that the problems they face are the result of some external force rather than their own inability to deal with it.

Too much choice is only a problem if you are unable to authoritatively discriminate or to be fully secure in your ability to do so. Basically, finding what you want is dependent on your knowing what you want. If you don't know what you want, you will often be disappointed by any selection you make but the problem isn't the choices, its your inability to discriminate between them.

I tend to agree with this assessment of the video.