RSA ANIMATE: The Paradox of Choice

In this new RSA Animate, Professor Renata Salecl explores the paralysing anxiety and dissatisfaction surrounding limitless choice. Does the freedom to be the architects of our own lives actually hinder rather than help us? Does our preoccupation with choosing and consuming actually obstruct social change?

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This audio has been edited from the original event by Becca Pyne. Series produced by Abi Stephenson, RSA.

[ianng]

1.) Not everyone is overwhelmed by choices, some of us enjoys the expression of self and even the process of contemplating
2.) When you feel like you "have to" choose something because of social pressure, it is already a choice on its own, whether you are looking too closely to be aware of that or not
3.) I found that the narrator's assertion of us all are overwhelmed and anxious about having choices very troubling, the mere fact of asserting to us "this is how you feel" is an oppression on it's own

[miltiathis]

Wonderful job! My opinion is that social change actually stems from the change of the self. This change cannot come about if we don't know what to believe in and in fact go on with our lives without taking a stand on any issue with the pretext that we don't have enough time! I think that there is no limitless choice. The products we buy nowadays are actually so like one another! The feeling of dissatisfaction is the reason we have so many apparent choices and not the result!

[sadpenguin]

I'd write a comment here but by choosing what to write, I lose the possibility of writing something else.

[ryanfinco]

This really is a scientific perspective on the concept of existential freedom, and the hidden burden of responsibility of the choices we make as well as being responsible for the choices we didn't make.     Tie this in with social media, facebook image crafting and constant, often unwelcomed transparency and you get quite the mess.

[novalinnhe]

Thank you so much to the talented cartoonist who took the time to create this fantastic video! ^_^ I'm usually so intimidated by just how *much* of these videos are on YouTube, and how long and complex they tend to be... but the RSA animates series is awesome! It's like these little chunks of wisdom that you can take away with you, chew over and use to inform the rest of your day - or even life. We really are on the cusp of a much happier world, so thanks RSA for letting me be a part of it! ^_^

[Andreas]

What she's describing in the first minute is exactly how I felt trying to narrow down my list of graduate schools...

[JXZ-JAM]

How interesting. She presents all the negatives of the overwhelming choices we have(which I do) and yet, even in the examples she gives, I personally experience NONE of these problems or anxieties. To me that doesn't present a dichotomy of choice, but other spiritual concerns.

[inmotion]

I don't feel overwhelmed by choices at all. I enjoy having them and I enjoy weighing the costs and benefits of the different choices available.

[debyte]

This seems to be more about peer group pressure rather than the 'anguish of choice'.

[scgirlslopes]

Choice doesn’t not prevent social change, we just choose not to change things out of fear, or any other issue! She says “Choice is related with loss, that is why people don’t provoke social change” Choice can be related to loss (not entirely true there is some gain too), but that’s life we can’t always have it both ways. With choices we have responsibilities, and it can mean taking a chance, it may work out it may not.

[dimiaraujo]

She seems like a Female version of Slavoj Zizek!

:v

[scgirlslopes]

The paradox of choice is that we say we want choice but then we feel so overwhelmed with choice, it provokes anxiety (partially true-but we shouldn’t freak out over choice). “People are frozen in a state of un-decisiveness, people are anxious about choice because they worry about what others will think”, I agree with her on that -but what does that tell you? Those people are maladjusted, immature, paranoid, narcissistic, lack self-esteem, materialistic, scared, shallow, they have issues!!

[mwaseem]

the friend in the restaurant 2:00 looks like Slavoj Žižek!

[VViLLFilms]

I tried deciding which cereal I wanted to buy. But then I panicked: What would everyone else think of me? She is spot on. I was standing there, anxious, in the grocery store for fking hours.

[triczka]

Oh thank you, Big Brother. Take away all my choices so that I don't have to feel embarrassed and experience any feelings of loss.

[stevekennedy]

My experience has been that the average person's definition of capitalism looks a lot like my definition of oligarchy.

[movadoband]

this makes so much sense, I think this wide selection is actually decresing the number of young couples today...I see so many seemingly compatible people holding out for something better.

[qinng]

I think the real paradox of choice, or free will, is that less than 1% of our thoughts actually reach our conscious mind.

[OrgasmandTea]

Brilliant. Psychological analysis of the problems of society rather than just statement of the problems of society. This is what I've been looking for. Lots of good points to work on here, and for me that starts with reducing my anxiety.
Also, a personal favourite moment was when the Lennon book bumps the guy reading Marx on the head. Subtle, but extremely profound statement.

[Drvelasco]

When I was younger I lived next door to an all-american family. Their son went off to college and came back a year later. I was told he was sick so he had to move back to his home. I talked to him several times and he didnt seem at all sick. What I really think is that he had a mental break down because of the impositions of college life and working to pay for it. Sure, it could be many things, but that was the impression I had. He was a bee who thought he could be everything he wanted to beeee.