One evening, my mother was watching a television serial on Doordarshan, a channel she has followed for decades. I casually suggested that she watch the same programme on YouTube in higher quality, without advertisements, since I have a premium subscription. To my surprise, she declined firmly. Her reasoning was simple: “If we watch on YouTube, the control will be in your hands. You may change the video midway or even switch it off when you feel sleepy. On television, the programme runs on its own. I don’t have to worry about choices.”
Her words stayed with me. In that simple moment, she had pointed to something that I — and perhaps many of us — struggle within this age of digital abundance: the overwhelming burden of choices.
American psychologist Barry Schwartz, in his influential book The Paradox of Choice, argues that while freedom of choice is essential to well-being, too many choices can lead to anxiety, indecision, and dissatisfaction. The supermarket aisle lined with 20 varieties of breakfast cereal may sound like a consumer’s dream, but it often leaves people paralysed, unsure of what to pick, and dissatisfied even after making a choice.
The same holds true for entertainment. Consider the typical experience on an OTT platform: after a long day, we open many of them. Instead of relaxing immediately, we spend 20 minutes scrolling through endless lists of shows, trailers, and recommendations. The irony is striking — surrounded by more content than ever before, we often end up watching nothing, or worse, feeling guilty about how much time we wasted deciding.
For earlier generations, choices were limited. Doordarshan had a fixed schedule; so, did All India Radio. Families gathered around the television at a set time to watch a programme. It may not have been everyone’s favourite, but it was a collective experience. No one complained of decision fatigue. The boundaries were external, imposed by programming schedules, and within those limits, people found satisfaction.
These restrictions often created bonding. A family that sat together to watch a Sunday evening movie on Doordarshan shared not just the film but also the snacks, the laughter, and the discussions that followed. Today, even though families may sit in the same living room, each person is on a different device, consuming separate content. In gaining infinite choices, we may have lost a part of the shared joy.
It is not only in entertainment that this paradox plays out. We face it while choosing restaurants on food delivery apps, while browsing online marketplaces, or even while planning careers. The Internet has democratised access but has also multiplied decisions. Where earlier one or two paths were visible, today there are dozens, each demanding comparison, evaluation, and second-guessing.
The psychological cost of this abundance is significant. Studies have shown that too many choices often reduce satisfaction. When options are few, people accept their decision and enjoy the outcome. When options are endless, they keep wondering if another alternative might have been better. In other words, choice increases expectations and fuels regret.
With hindsight, my mother’s preference for Doordarshan over YouTube was not a rejection of technology but a quiet wisdom. By surrendering control to an external structure, she freed herself from the burden of choosing. She allowed herself to be carried along by the flow of a schedule rather than the constant questioning of “what next?”
Perhaps that is why people still find comfort in radio, in curated playlists, or even in traditional television. These mediums relieve us of the responsibility of being the constant decision-maker. In a world where we are always asked to choose —from toothpaste brands to career trajectories — sometimes we long for someone else to decide for us.
What, then, is the way forward in this ocean of choices? Perhaps the answer is not to escape choices altogether but to build personal boundaries. Some people restrict their OTT use to one show at a time. Others create small rituals, like watching a specific programme with family, to preserve a sense of shared experience. Minimalism, now a global lifestyle trend, is at heart a rebellion against the tyranny of too many options.
Technology itself may evolve to help us. Recommendation algorithms, curated newsletters, or even time-bound releases are ways of narrowing down the chaos. But ultimately, the responsibility lies with us to recognise that more is not always better.
The paradox of choice is a reminder that freedom is not just about having endless options, but also about knowing when to stop choosing. Sometimes, happiness lies not in abundance but in restraint. My mother, with her gentle refusal to leave Doordarshan, reminded me of that truth. In her world of limited television slots, there was less control but more contentment. Perhaps the real luxury in today’s age is not premium subscriptions or high-resolution streaming, but the rare ability to say, “This is enough.”
vkeshri2@gmail.com
Published – October 26, 2025 04:45 am IST
