T.E.D.

I've discovered T.E.D. (Technology. Entertainment. Design.). I've heard of it before, but now I've had the pleasure of watching a couple great speeches from the website. Actually, easily available through the iTunes store for free!  Barry Schwartz (Paradox of Choice) and Dan Gilbert (Stumbling on Happiness) were not just entertaining, but fascinating! I actually clapped at one point watching Schwartz talk about why he wrote the book. By clapped I mean applauded. 

Paradox of Choice is about how freedom and having 73 different salad dressing to choose from at Safeway (not counting olive oil) can end up making us feel miserable. To many choices. I had to think about the process of writing. About writing fiction and getting to a point where a decision has to be made and there are only about a trillion possible options. Paralysis. 

This also applies to work. A retail business that offers up about 250,000 choices. Daunting. What book to read next? That's why (Long Tail) recommendations and best seller lists are so popular and helpful. People need help choosing!

So much for free will.