Less choice, more happiness

How many of us have the time or the inclination to pause for a moment and ponder whether we are inundated with too many choices in life? Sometimes we are bewildered what to buy at a supermarket, what course of studies to follow, which television channel to watch or who we should marry. The problem of choice may not occur to those who run the usual rat race in life. But those who have a philosophical bent might wonder whether we should limit our choices.

Let's take a random example. In the good old days we had only land phones. We obtained one after a long wait because Telecom was the only provider of telephones. Times have changed. Land phones have become passe. Nine out of 10 people seem to be using mobile phones. But they are not using the same brand. The prices, models and brands vary. When you have a wide choice what are you going to do?

Even in the field of education there are too many choices. If you are planning to do medicine, there are so many foreign universities to choose from. Even in other disciplines, many educational institutes are advertising their courses with catchy phrases such as "Soar above the world by studying our courses." On most occasions students shift from one institute to another wasting their precious time and energy.

SLBC

A few decades ago we had only the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) to entertain us with music, songs and other programs. What has happened today is that there is a plethora of FM radio stations that vie to entice listeners. Some of the channels 'bribe' listeners by offering various gifts provided they listen to their programs.

Only idle minds will have the time to listen to one particular channel, however much it is entertaining. The same situation exists as far as television is concerned. Apart from the few local television channels viewers now have access to a host of television programs aired through the satellite. So, the problem is the choice.

Gone are the days when you meet your dream girl or prince charming and walk down the aisle. Those who belong to the new generation are not in a hurry to tie the knot because they do not know whom to choose. Falling in love, writing love letters and getting married seem to be outdated.

Young men and women start dating while in school, have a tryst with their partners for a short time, live together and finally decide to postpone marriage. This happens because there is a wide choice in the marriage market.

Today we are left with a dilemma. Is it good or bad to have so many choices? Barry Schwartz is one of the modern psychologists who has done an in-depth analysis of the problem. After many experiments with college students and others he came up with a surprising result.

According to him, people assume that greater choice makes them feel better about the choices available. They think it is a form of power.

What happens in fact is quite the reverse. When people have a limited choice, they seem to be more satisfied with what they are given.

Schwartz's experiments show that too much choice can adversely affect our happiness.

Too many options

One major malady in modern civilisation is that we are compelled to waste time when there are too many choices. Everyday we have to sift through thousands of options to find what we really need. Some of us who belong to the old generation have found a solution to this problem. When there is a bewildering plethora of choices, we end up sticking to our old provider. This is just to avoid the hassle of considering all the deals on offer. For instance, some of us still use the land phone and do not worry about mobile phones.

Some companies here and abroad offer long service awards to their employees. There was a time when people used to work for a single establishment until retirement. However, the scene has changed.

Today's young men and women do not stick to one place. They change jobs every five to ten years. This has been made possible because there are so many choices in the job market. Modern employees are always on the lookout for something better even if they are relatively happy in their current jobs.

With so many options available to us in different fields of activities we face another problem, i.e. we are likely to make wrong decisions.

Today we are preoccupied with making the best choice. But we are never sure whether we are going to make the best choice. It is like trying to find the ideal partner. By the time you find him or her, you may be in your middle age! So, it is advisable to settle down with someone or something "good enough".

Concept of 'satisficing'

The concept of "satisficing" was first introduced by eminent economist Herbert Simon in the 1950s. His fascinating conclusion was that if you take into account the time required to make decisions, "satisficing" is actually the best strategy. For instance, an employee who shifts from one job to another may secure a higher salary and a slightly better status. However, there is no guarantee that he will be 100 percent satisfied with his new position. This brings us to the stark truth that 'satisficers' are always happy because they know that they are living in an imperfect world!

Schwartz says that United States' per capita income has doubled.

People are enjoying the fruits of modern science and technology. Yet there has been no measurable increase in happiness. Most of the mega rich men and women in the west come to the East seeking happiness.

With all the appalling living conditions in some parts of the East, people live relatively happily because their choices are limited.

The Buddha, Jesus Christ and Confucius reiterated the need to have less choices in life. Through their impenetrable wisdom, they have left us a legacy: Too much choice actually causes distress!