In this inspiring TED Talk, Barry Schwarz makes a passionate call for “practical wisdom” as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.
Or as Obama put it “It’s not enough to ask ‘is it profitable?’, you have to ask ‘is it right?’ “
Read more in an interview with Barry Schwarz, right after he gave this talk.
Barry Schwarz’s previous research was on ‘Paradox of Choice‘, where he asserts that less can actually be more. He talks about ‘maximisers’: people who are out to always find THE BEST and don’t feel happier than ‘satisficers’ for whom ‘good enough is good enough’. It is all about simplifying your choice.
Paradox of Choice book.
Read also my earlier posts on related subjects:
Choices are luxuries – or are they?
Your talent lies in your choice.
I really enjoyed this refreshing video. Thanks for sharing.
Stacey, you’re welcome. Ted is always a very interesting source of inspiring videos.