Consumerism: One Choice Too Many

Federal law permits people to take their phone numbers with them if they switch cell phone service. It's nice to have more flexibility—but is this really what we need? Already, getting phone service forces consumers to navigate a bewildering set of decisions: peak minutes and off-peak, family plans and individual rates, flip-phones or one-piece "candy bar" devices, analog, digital or GSM service, text messaging and camera capabilities, plastic color palettes and vast ringtone libraries, recharging equipment and battery types, hands-free accessories, phones with web access and phones that act like walkie-talkies.

Cellular service is an extreme example, but American life is flooded with too many choices, says Barry Schwartz, a psychologist at Swarthmore College. In his book The Paradox of Choice, he argues that the result is a society of stressed-out and unsatisfied customers. Options overload applies to everything from raising children to buying jeans, and might be at the root of that "overwhelmed" feeling that's been going around.

Choices seem like a good thing—prices stay low, and like Goldilocks, we can have things that are "just right." But Schwartz argues that at least in the United States, as consumer options have proliferated, we've long since passed that point. People faced with too many options are likely to throw up their hands and not bother—even when a lot is at stake. How many handbooks to 401K plans sit gathering dust in office drawers across the country? How many people are willing to figure out how to choose an electricity provider?

Some people respond by trying to examine every possibility as thoroughly as possible—and they are the unhappiest of all, says Schwartz. A "maximizer," to use Schwartz's term, second-guesses his decisions, constantly looking over his shoulder to see what he missed. "Maximizers do better, but feel worse," Schwartz says—they are never satisfied that they've made the best choice. While some might be born that way, he speculates that our consumer culture actually breeds maximizers: The average American is exposed to 3,000 ads a day. Happier are the people who Schwartz calls "satisficers," who simply use the standard of "good enough."

Schwartz envisions a society where people can rely upon a network of family and friends to help with consumer decisions. For those looking to switch cell phone plans, he advises, "If you have a techie friend, call him and ask which one to choose. Will he choose the 'perfect' plan for you? No, but you won't waste two weeks researching the plans."

If your friends are all Luddites, you can simply set limits for yourself. "Decide beforehand that you are going to look at two plans, or two companies, and within those boundaries, you'll choose the one that suits your needs," suggests Schwartz. The minute an unsolicited ad comes in the mail, though, the maximizers will feel the twinge of regret, Schwartz warns.

Or turn to other sources. Consumer Reports magazine, for example, features an expert analysis of popular cell phone models and compatible service carriers. And if you can't remember that "perfect" is the enemy of "good," Schwartz says that remembering to feel grateful for what we have releases us from the tyranny of choice.