The Myth Of Choice

Author : Kent Greenfield
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2011-09-15
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780300178876

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The Myth of Choice by Kent Greenfield Pdf

Freedom of choice is at the core of the American story. But what if choice is fake?Americans are fixated on the idea of choice. Our political theory is based on the consent of the governed. Our legal system is built upon the argument that people freely make choices and bear responsibility for them. And what slogan could better express the heart of our consumer culture than "Have it your way"?In this provocative book, Kent Greenfield poses unsettling questions about the choices we make. What if they are more constrained and limited than we like to think? If we have less free will than we realize, what are the implications for us as individuals and for our society? To uncover the answers, Greenfield taps into scholarship on topics ranging from brain science to economics, political theory to sociology. His discoveries—told through an entertaining array of news events, personal anecdotes, crime stories, and legal decisions—confirm that many factors, conscious and unconscious, limit our free will. Worse, by failing to perceive them we leave ourselves open to manipulation. But Greenfield offers useful suggestions to help us become better decision makers as individuals, and to ensure that in our laws and public policy we acknowledge the complexity of choice.

Author : Barry Schwartz
Publisher : Harper Collins
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2009-10-13
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780061748998

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The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz Pdf

Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented. As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression. In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice—the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish—becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse. By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counter intuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

Author : Theresa Amato
Publisher : ReadHowYouWant.com
Page : 722 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2010-08
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781459600010

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Grand Illusion by Theresa Amato Pdf

As the national campaign manager for Ralph Nader's historic runs for president in 2000 and 2004, Theresa Amato had a rare ringside role in two of the most hotly contested presidential elections this country has seen. In Grand Illusion, she gives u...

Author : Stephen J. McNamee
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Page : 297 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2009-08-16
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780742599772

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The Meritocracy Myth by Stephen J. McNamee Pdf

The Meritocracy Myth challenges the widely held American belief in meritocracyOCothat people get out of the system what they put into it based on individual merit. Fully revised and updated throughout, the second edition includes compelling new case studies, such as the impact of social and cultural capital in the cases of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and new material on current topics such as the impact of the financial and credit crisis, intergenerational mobility, and the impact of racism and sexism. The Meritocracy Myth examines talent, attitude, work ethic, and character as elements of merit and evaluates the effect of non-merit factors such as social status, race, heritage, and wealth on meritocracy. A compelling book on an often-overlooked topic, first edition was highly regarded and proved a useful examination of this classic American ideal.

Author : Jonathan Tepper
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 349 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2023-04-25
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781394184064

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The Myth of Capitalism by Jonathan Tepper Pdf

The Myth of Capitalism tells the story of how America has gone from an open, competitive marketplace to an economy where a few very powerful companies dominate key industries that affect our daily lives. Digital monopolies like Google, Facebook and Amazon act as gatekeepers to the digital world. Amazon is capturing almost all online shopping dollars. We have the illusion of choice, but for most critical decisions, we have only one or two companies, when it comes to high speed Internet, health insurance, medical care, mortgage title insurance, social networks, Internet searches, or even consumer goods like toothpaste. Every day, the average American transfers a little of their pay check to monopolists and oligopolists. The solution is vigorous anti-trust enforcement to return America to a period where competition created higher economic growth, more jobs, higher wages and a level playing field for all. The Myth of Capitalism is the story of industrial concentration, but it matters to everyone, because the stakes could not be higher. It tackles the big questions of: why is the US becoming a more unequal society, why is economic growth anemic despite trillions of dollars of federal debt and money printing, why the number of start-ups has declined, and why are workers losing out.

Author : Clare Mann
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2019-07
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 0987346113

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Myths of Choice: Why People Won't Change and what You Can Do about it by Clare Mann Pdf

This is a self-help book inviting the reader to examine their own life and how personal and social myths impact and limit their choices. By understanding how these myths operate, you can re-evaluate their role in your life, see the pervasiveness of myths in other people's lives, and how their resistance to change is influenced by them. It provides tools for becoming an even stronger voice for change.

Author : Mel Levine
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 451 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2012-12-11
Category : Family & Relationships
ISBN : 9781471108532

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The Myth Of Laziness by Mel Levine Pdf

One of the most common complaints parents hear is that their child has great potential but is lazy. In the workplace one hears that a colleague is brilliant but just can't seem to deliver on time. Dr Levine believes that in reality very few people are truly lazy. Nearly all 'lazy' children and unproductive adults are in fact suffering from some sort of 'output failure,' that is, some problem of the mind that inhibits their productivity, despite their good intentions. In this book Dr Levine draws heavily on his years of clinical experience to construct the stories of representative children and adults who failed to be productive for the most common reasons. Too often we focus only on failure but people benefit enormously from recognition of their successes. In explaining outside or environmental factors that can affect productivity, Dr Levine points to the role of parents as well as teachers in identifying a child's weaknesses and nurturing the capacity to deliver, with such practical suggestions as describing the ideal study environment for a child. Whether the problem is manifested in motor breakdown, memory shortfall, verbal problems, lack of mental energy or underlying disorganization, Dr Levine provides a workable solution and dismisses the 'lazy' label.

Author : Corey A. DeAngelis,Neal P. McCluskey
Publisher : Cato Institute
Page : 253 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2020-10-07
Category : Education
ISBN : 9781948647922

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School Choice Myths by Corey A. DeAngelis,Neal P. McCluskey Pdf

Are there legitimate arguments to prevent families from choosing the education that works best for their children? Opponents of school choice have certainly offered many objections, but for decades they have mainly repeated myths either because they did not know any better or perhaps to protect the government schooling monopoly. In these pages, 14 of the top scholars in education policy debunk a dozen of the most pernicious myths, including “school choice siphons money from public schools,” “choice harms children left behind in public schools,” “school choice has racist origins,” and “choice only helps the rich get richer.” As the contributors demonstrate, even arguments against school choice that seem to make powerful intuitive sense fall apart under scrutiny. There are, frankly, no compelling arguments against funding students directly instead of public school systems. School Choice Myths shatters the mythology standing in the way of education freedom.

Author : Kent Greenfield
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 253 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2011-10-11
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780300169508

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The Myth of Choice by Kent Greenfield Pdf

Examines the idea of choice, arguing that personal choice may be a misconception and is in reality a product of circumstances, determined by such factors such as biology, culture, authority, and economics.

Author : Albert Camus
Publisher : Penguin UK
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2013-10-31
Category : Literary Collections
ISBN : 9780141914176

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The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus Pdf

In this profound and moving philosophical statement, Camus poses the fundamental question: Is life worth living? If human existence holds no significance, what can keep us from suicide? As Camus argues, if there is no God to give meaning to our lives, humans must take on that purpose themselves. This is our 'absurd' task, like Sisyphus forever rolling his rock up a hill, as the inevitability of death constantly overshadows us. Written during the bleakest days of the Second World War, The Myth of Sisyphus argues for an acceptance of reality that encompasses revolt, passion and, above all, liberty. This volume contains several other essays, including lyrical evocations of the sunlit cities of Algiers and Oran, the settings of his great novels The Outsider and The Plague. Albert Camus is the author of a number of best-selling and highly influential works, all of which are published by Penguin. They include The Fall, The Outsider and The First Man. He is remembered as one of the few writers to have shaped the intellectual climate of post-war France, but beyond that, his fame has been international. Translated by Justin O'Brien With an Introduction by James Wood

Author : Samhita Mukhopadhyay
Publisher : Random House
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2024-06-18
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780593448090

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The Myth of Making It by Samhita Mukhopadhyay Pdf

We can bury the girlboss, but what comes next? The former executive editor of Teen Vogue tells the story of her personal workplace reckoning and argues for collective responsibility to reimagine work as we know it. “One of the smartest voices we have on gender, power, capitalist exploitation, and the entrenched inequities of the workplace.”—Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad “As I sat in the front row that day, I was 80 percent faking it with a 100-percent-real Gucci bag.” Samhita Mukhopadhyay had finally made it: she had her dream job, dream clothes—dream life. But time and time again, she found herself sacrificing time with family and friends, paying too much for lattes, and limping home after working twelve hours a day. Success didn’t come without costs, right? Or so she kept telling herself. And Mukhopadhyay wasn’t alone: Far too many of us are taught that we need to work ourselves to the bone to live a good life. That we just need to climb up the corporate ladder, to “lean in” and “hustle,” to enact change. But as Mukhopadhyay shows, these definitions of success are myths—and they are seductive ones. Mukhopadhyay traces the origins of these myths, taking us from the sixties to the present. She forms a critical overview of workplace feminism, looking at stories from her own professional career, analysis from activists and experts, and of course, experiences of workers at different levels. As more individuals continue to question whether their professional ambitions can lead to happiness and fulfillment in the first place, Mukhopadhyay asks, What would it mean to have a liberated workplace? Mukhopadhyay emerges with a vision for a workplace culture that pays fairly, recognizes our values, and gives people access to the resources they need. A call to action to redefine and reimagine work as we know it, The Myth of Making It is a field guide and manifesto for all of us who are tired, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of hustle culture.

Author : Robert Wickes
Publisher : Infinity Publishing
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2006-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780741436184

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The Myth America Pageant by Robert Wickes Pdf

An often-amusing look at often-confusing national issues and at the grand game of politics, blending history, common sense, and controversy in a thought-provoking, convention-challenging analysis for ordinary Americans.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor. Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 108 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1983
Category : Educational equalization
ISBN : PURD:32754076360670

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Hearing on the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1983 by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor. Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education Pdf

Author : Naomi Wolf
Publisher : Harper Collins
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2009-03-17
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780061969942

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The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf Pdf

The bestselling classic that redefined our view of the relationship between beauty and female identity. In today's world, women have more power, legal recognition, and professional success than ever before. Alongside the evident progress of the women's movement, however, writer and journalist Naomi Wolf is troubled by a different kind of social control, which, she argues, may prove just as restrictive as the traditional image of homemaker and wife. It's the beauty myth, an obsession with physical perfection that traps the modern woman in an endless spiral of hope, self-consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society's impossible definition of "the flawless beauty."

Author : Barbara Weber
Publisher : LIT Verlag Münster
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2011
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783643901262

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Cultural Politics and Identity by Barbara Weber Pdf

Cultural politics and identity : the public space of recognition / Barbara Weber -- Beyond understanding Rousseau and the beginning of the other / Karlfriedrich Herb -- Lévinas and the problem of mutual recognition of the consumer society and its fears / Barbara Weber -- A phenomenological perspective on the relationship between human rights and recognition / James R. Mensch -- Heidegger, Nietzsche, and the struggle for Europe / Gary E. Aylesworth -- Shared life / James Risser -- A discussion of diachronic identity : the example of the painter Masuji Ono's political transformation in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel 'An artist of the floating world' / Eval Marsal & Takara Dobashi -- The fate of hair and conversation : on moral identity and recognition in The man who wasn't there / Maria Sibylla Lotter -- Jacques Derrida : "No, again, I won't be able to-- " : of cruelty and responsibility / Petra Schweitzer -- The futility of postcolonialism : national victimhood revisited / Benjamin Zachariah -- Hygiene, secual politics, and the gendered other : Chile at the beginning of the twentieth century / Celina Tuozzo -- Anthropology, alterity and (com)motion : the quests for the other and the others' quests / Lisiane Koller Lecznieski -- Confusion of voices : the crucial dilemmas of being a human being : Czeslaw Milosz's poetry and the search for personal identity / Andrew Wiercinski -- Taking selves seriously / Susan T. Gardner -- Educating for civil friendship / Jen Glaser -- Understanding the reality interdisciplinary and arranging it socially and integratively / Maria Anna Bäuml-Rossnagl -- Art and community : aesthetic practice as exposure to the other / Dorota Glowacka -- "Weatherless dialogues," short stories / Tamara Ralis.