Spoilt For Choice
I am looking for a new ultra-compact camera, and the attempt to find a suitable one is driving me half-mad. There are tons of models out there, and it takes hours to figure out which one might be the best one for a specific usage. People often talk about how the age of innovation is great for consumers, but is this really optimal? So many models, so many brands, so much choice that… Yes, that what?
One would think that this fantastic choice would mean that consumers become happier, as they can choose between all colors, all pixel-amounts, all kinds of bodies. In fact, I think it might lead to the opposite - we’re becoming less happy. For what good is choice if it becomes a chore, what joy is there in tons of models if it makes us doubt the things we get?
I may end up not buying a camera, because I simply cannot make up my mind. If I do buy one, I assume I’ll be permanently unhappy because I’ll always feel like I made the wrong choice. This does not feel like an optimal situation. We may need a movement towards less choice, fewer models. We may in fact need to rethink the whole point of massive product portfolios.
