Quora精选：是否选择少一些，人就会变得更快乐？

Q: Will people be happier if they are given less choices?

问：是否选择少一些，人就会变得更快乐？

Answered by David Paul

I believe so.

我认为是的。

From a consumer decision stand point, a company stands to benefit when they offer a limited number of choices.

从消费者决策的角度来说，当一个公司只提供有限的商品以供选择时，这个公司更可能获利。

Apple is a great example of this. There product lineup is incredibly simple and the choices are fairly limited. By giving you less choices you spend last time fretting about your options.

苹果公司就是一个很好的例子。他们的产品阵容极其简单，选择相当有限，你反而不会过于纠结到底要买哪个。

I also think of Blockbuster vs Red Box. The last time I stepped foot in a Blockbuster I was filled with anxiety about the number of choices. I wanted to make the "best" choice and to do so I felt like I had to consider all the titles. In the end I walked out empty handed. Compare that to Red Box where you have a finite number of decent choices. In this case you can make your decision much quicker.

我还想到了Blockbuster和Red Box（两者均为DVD租赁公司）。我最后一次光顾Blockbuster的时候，林林总总的碟片让我产生难以选择的焦虑感。我想挑一部最值得看的电影，为此恨不得把每一部都翻来瞧瞧，最终空手而归。相比之下，Red Box提供有限并且比较优质的碟片以供选择。这样你就能更快地做出选择了。

In summary, my anecdotal evidence would suggest that most consumers would prefer to spend less time researching and agonizing over making the optimal decision and more time actually engaging in activities.

总之，我的例子表明，大多数消费者不愿花时间为最优方案琢磨伤神，而是希望用更多的时间来体验选择后的结果。

I would love to hear from Quora users exceptions and counter examples as I am sure that there are many.

我相信这儿有许多和我观点相左的Quora用户，你们的观点和例证我愿闻其详。

Answered by Naman Kumar

Maybe but that won't be sustainable as you are going against growth and evolution; its essentially regression.

也许给予的选择越少就会越快乐，但这种“逆生长”的状态不会持续很久——因为此状态的本质即为退化。

People would be more happier once they overcome through the dilemma of choice. I think this is best done by first figuring out what you want and then going to the market rather than going to the market and then trying to find what you want, literally and metaphorically. Of course this is impractical in many cases but that's where the fun starts. That will help you figure out what you "really" want.

当人们走出选择的困境时，他们会更快乐。我认为最好的办法就是想好你想要什么再去买，而不是到了地方才去想。其他选择亦是如此。当然，这个方法在很多情况下并不适用，但那正是趣味所在。那将帮你弄清自己真正想要的是什么。

So the dilemma of choice is actually an opportunity for self-discovery and growth. Foregoing happiness temporarily in that process is simply a part of that turmoil that leads to a higher level of contentment and, as you call it, happiness.

因此，两难的选择实际上也是自我发现和提升的机会。在这个过程中，放弃一时的愉悦不过是痛苦的一部分，但这种痛苦会给你带来更大的满足感，即你所说的幸福。