TED talk about TOO MANY choices!

[crnazz]

Takes a bit to watch the whole thing but I think the speaker has some excellent points that, for me anyway, can easily apply to the endless search for the Holy Grail of guitars and GAS.

https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schw..._term=watchNow

[imwjl]

Technically, we might be reversing the trend. Initiated by the not supposed to talk about it, many firms have continued to have production dedicated to the top sellers.

I believe the trend is continuing. I think it was only the past week's news that mentioned Coke killing many products. Two weeks ago I needed a new helmet and while it appeared there was much choice local and national sellers only had a subset of all that available. A friend with a retail shop said 2022 pre-book or ordering shows fewer items from some of his brands. I'm not sure about all car companies, but when shopping we noticed VW simplified their lineup at least in the US. Others are cutting models. Ford has fewer models. The brewery near my home cut the number of recipes they brew for retail.

[mc1]

I get overwhelmed by the shear number of TED talks.

Thanks for whittling them down.

[Bob Womack]

On our end of this dilemma, what makes our situation far more tolerable is contentment. Society tells us that everything we are involved in must get better. We have to decide when things are good enough and not let the perfect get in the way of the good.

Bob

[crnazz]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

On our end of this dilemma, what makes our situation far more tolerable is contentment. Society tells us that everything we are involved in must get better. We have to decide when things are good enough and not let the perfect get in the way of the good.

Bob

Well stated Bob. I agree.
Though sometimes I think the unending reviews and offerings of amazing guitars challenges the ability to be permanently contented.

[Dirk Hofman]

Yeah, this forum and GAS are pretty much perfect examples of Schwartz's thesis. Choice and more things rarely = happiness.

I say this having just navigated from a web page where I was pondering an expensive lens for my Fuji. Thankfully I realized it wasn't going to make a ton of difference in my life. Another mountain bike however...

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

I say this having just navigated from a web page where I was pondering an expensive lens for my Fuji. Thankfully I realized it wasn't going to make a ton of difference in my life. Another mountain bike however...

Whenever I contemplate a new piece of photographic equipment, I ask myself “Will this make me a better photographer?”

After many years of practice, I’ve become much better at realizing that the real answer is, almost invariably, “No”.

Almost invariably

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

Whenever I contemplate a new piece of photographic equipment, I ask myself “Will this make me a better photographer?”

After many years of practice, I’ve become much better at realizing that the real answer is, almost invariably, “No”.

Almost invariably

That was the quick conclusion. Would like a longer zoom for surfing images but I haven't maxed out my current equipment yet. I just need to shoot more with the gear I have.

A new mountain bike, on the other hand...hmmm...more travel means I'll be better, right?

[PorkPieGuy]

I've watched this one a few times.


I wish Ted Talks were still as good as this.

[Photojeep]

My wife and I are beginning the downsizing of our lives because of my impending retirement and we're amazed on a daily, if not hourly, basis of how much "stuff" we've bought over the 25+ years we've lived in this house that we had forgotten we even owned. Now that we're getting rid of most of it, it feels so liberating!

I don't agree with any sort of wealth redistribution beyond the general paying of taxes, but certainly simplifying what we choose to move with has certainly helped us feel better about our lives.

Best,
PJ

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by mc1

I get overwhelmed by the shear number of TED talks.

Thanks for whittling them down.

ah, so you are saying that there is too much choice of TED talks ?

[Silly Moustache]

I totally agree with the too much choice mindset - it was the main reason that I never bought Martin strings because there seemed to be too many options of yer basic Medium gauge PB strings.

Twice now the current Mrs Moustache and I have gone out to buy a new vacuum cleaner and come home empty handed because of too many choices.

I think that the acoustic guitar market was simpler until relatively recently.
Martin offered a number of sizes, in either mahogany or rosewood and that was it. D18s and D28s for instance did change in subtle ways between 1934 and 2020, but now they have to be "re-imagined" every year or so, plus Authentics and whatsoever.

There is also a bewildering number of Gibson options of J45s, SJ200s etc.

It occurs to me that in some cases brands find themselves competing with themselves.

However we mere males (or many of us)tend to have an acquisitive nature.

We know and laugh about GAS but I remember when I used to be a member of various photographic clubs, and there were those tat had been using their old Pentax, or Nikon for decades , and those that arrived to meetings with their newest version every so often.

i suspect that there are similar "acquisition" patterns in all pursuits.
We are still hunter-gatherers by instinct, and we will continue to "gather".
Marketers depend on it.

[sevargnhoj]

I spend so much time wading through all the offerings on prime and netflix that I often don't have time to watch anything.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by sevargnhoj

I spend so much time wading through all the offerings on prime and netflix that I often don't have time to watch anything.

My wife does this. She'll surf and surf, eventually get overwhelmed and chose nothing. Some times she'll deal with this by just watching the same series over and over simply so she doesn't have to chose.