选择悖论：为什么选择越多未必越好
The Paradox of Choice: Why Having More Options Isn’t Always Better
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of products when shopping in a supermarket or browsing an online store? If so, you’re certainly not alone—this is a common struggle for many people. We often assume that having more choices means greater freedom and satisfaction, but psychological research shows that too many options can actually make us less happy.
你有没有在超市或购物网站上面对众多商品时感到不知所措？如果有这种感觉，其实这正是许多人的共同困扰。我们常以为，选择越多意味着拥有更多自由和更高的满意度，但心理学研究却发现，太多选择反而会让我们变得不那么快乐。
One reason for this is “decision fatigue”. When our brains are forced to compare many options, we use up our mental energy quickly. By the time we have to make our final choice, we may feel tired, frustrated, or even anxious. Instead of enjoying our new purchase, we often wonder whether we picked the best one.
出现这种现象的一个原因是“决策疲劳”。当我们的大脑不得不在众多选项中反复权衡时，精神能量会被迅速消耗。等到真正要选择的时候，我们往往已经感到疲惫、懊恼，甚至焦虑。我们并不会对自己的新选择感到开心，反而总在怀疑是否选到了最好的。
Furthermore, with more options comes a greater fear of missing out (FOMO). We worry that there might be a better deal, a tastier meal, or a more exciting event around the corner. This constant comparison makes it hard to be satisfied, no matter how good our final choice actually is.
另外，选择越多，“错失恐惧症”也越明显。我们会担心还有更划算的商品、更美味的食物、或者更有趣的活动被自己错过了。不断地比较让我们很难真正满意自己的选择，即使其实已经做出了不错的决定。
Researchers have also found that having too many possibilities can lead to “analysis paralysis”. In this state, we spend so much time analyzing each option that we struggle to make any decision at all. As a result, we might end up making no choice or putting things off, which only increases our stress.
研究人员还发现，过多的选项容易导致“分析瘫痪”。陷入这种状态时，我们会花大量时间反复权衡分析，却始终下不了决心。最终，可能什么都没选，继续拖延，只会让压力越来越大。
So how can we cope with the paradox of choice? The key is to focus on what really matters to us, and not get distracted by every available option. Setting personal priorities and allowing ourselves to be satisfied with “good enough”, instead of always searching for the absolute best, can make our lives simpler and happier.
那我们该如何应对选择悖论呢？关键是专注于真正重要的东西，不要被所有可能性牵着走。给自己设定清晰的优先级，并允许自己接受“足够好”的选项，而不是永远追求完美无缺，能让我们的生活变得更简单、更快乐。
【短语积累 Vocabulary Bank】
- the paradox of choice —— 选择悖论
- decision fatigue —— 决策疲劳
- mental energy —— 精神能量
- fear of missing out (FOMO) —— 错失恐惧症
- constant comparison —— 不断比较
- analysis paralysis —— 分析瘫痪
- set personal priorities —— 设定个人优先级
- good enough —— 足够好
- cope with —— 应对
- to be satisfied with —— 对……感到满足
📌文章CEFR 等级： B2–C1 级
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