Bianca Claircidor Conversation 5: Arguments

Summary

In the TEDTalk video we’ve watched in class titled “The Paradox of Choice:” by Barry Schwartz, we've determined that:

The conclusion/Argument: “Too many choices lead to an increased paralysis and decreased satisfaction, so the secret to happiness is low expectations.

Schwartz provided many premises for his argument, but I only chose a few:

Premise I: He stated that “it’s easy to imagine you could’ve done better or chosen better when you are overwhelmed with options.”

Premise II: “The more options there are, the easier it is to regret.”

Premise III: “We end up less satisfy with the result of the choice than we would be if we had fewer options to choose from.”

Premise IV: And lastly, “escalations of expectations.”

I chose the CNBC article titled: “From the ‘perfect’ salary to keeping up with the Joneses, here’s how money really affects your happiness” by Cory Stieg.

The conclusion/argument is: "Happiness is not entirely based on having more money or a higher salary, but it rests in self growth, finding purpose, connecting with people and having new experiences."

Premise I: “From a happiness standpoint, it’s more important that your job provides a sense of meaning or purpose.”

Premise II: “Not only does having meaning make you happier, but studies have shown that you tend to be more productive, too.”

Premise III: “Studies also suggest that spending money on experiences makes you happier than items.”

Premise IV: “When people earned more than $105,000, their happiness levels decreased.”

When I was younger, I naively believed that having wealth would guarantee my happiness because I would have all my basic needs met. However, as I matured and gained wisdom, I learned that it wasn't the case. Yes, money can contribute to a temporary feeling of security, but it doesn’t address the higher aspects of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which are love, belongingness, esteem needs and self-actualization. What if I hate the job that is providing me this great salary, am I still happy?

Argument/Conclusion: "Money does not guarantee happiness"

Premise I: We tend to get used to most of the positive changes in our lives. It’s the hedonic treadmill phenomenon which is pleasure short lived—it’s one of the obstacles in the pursuit of happiness.

Premise II: As Schwartz mentioned in “The Paradox of choice” We tend to compare our choices even if we’ve made a good choice, by imagining we could’ve done better. We become less satisfied because our expectations are escalating due to these overwhelming choices.

Premise III: Having a lot of money does not equal happiness if you’re not happy with yourself. According to Cory Stieg’s article “From the ‘perfect’ salary to keeping up with the Joneses, here’s how money really affects your happiness” While it might feel good to shop for nicer or more expensive things, they typically aren’t fulfilling once we get them—this is in part because material purchases hang around, so we get used to them.

To conclude, I realized that true happiness came from achieving my goals, pursuing my dreams, facing my fears and finding my place in this world. I understood the meaning of connection and being a part of a community.