We may often seek quantity over quality when for example we share food or buy a shower gel.
The point is that maybe our nature for more isn't always optimal.
But why more is less?
The way to improve welfare is to improve freedom and the way to improve freedom is to improve choice.
This often happens between a patient and a doctor. The doctor explains to the patient the possible outcomes of a surgery ( death - cure ratio), a chemotherapy or the side-effects of medication and the patient decides what he would like to do in order to proceed with the treatment. The shift of burden of the decision making makes both the doctor and the patient happier because of the aspect of free choice.
Life is a matter of choice.
The huge number of options causes paralysis and we find it difficult to make a choice because even if do overcome the numbness we are less satisfied with our decision, just because of comparison thinking. This psychological state is known as opportunity loss. Opportunity loss is the disappointment that you feel when you do something instead of something else. This may happen for example when you must choose from 157 different salad dressings in a restaurant.
Most likely you will get overwhelmed by thinking if you did the best choice whether the salad was tasty or not.
The escalation of expectations often leads to excessive disappointment.
The secret to happiness is low expectations.
Clinical depression and suicide escalated because of self-blame due to disappointing decision making in comparison with the possible options..
We have crossed by far the point that our choices improve our welfare.
The truth is that every one needs a fish bowl in order to be happy.. :)
In your fish bowl you can truly be anything you want to as long as
there is a place that feels familiar and not overwhelming..
Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice | TED Talk
The Paradox of Hiring – Choices, Decisions & Timing
Low expectations