Barry Schwartz [professor paradox]

By: Editor | August 17, 2009 | Ten by Ten

As the Dorwin P. Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action at Swarthmore College, Barry Schwartz studies psychosocial effects of free-market economics. He received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and has written a great deal about market-obsessed cultures. Most recently he published an examination of consumer bewilderment titled The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.

How would you describe the feeling of happiness?

For me, the feeling of happiness is a feeling of calm — a feeling that “all’s right with the world,” that everyone and everything in my orbit are cared for. When I was younger, I was probably more interested in excitement, but I have come to believe that security (economic, emotional, psychological) is more important than wealth.

What do you consider your greatest career achievement?

There is an ever-growing tendency for academics to get more and more specialized in what they do and teach. Perhaps because I teach only undergraduates, in my career, I have moved in the opposite direction. I have written three books intended to bring important ideas from the academy to nonacademic audiences. The last one, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, has been a substantial success. Many people now think about the explosion of choice we face in the United States differently than they did before the book came out. The success of this book has been extremely gratifying. I regarded it as my greatest professional achievement until I gave a talk this past February at the annual TED conference. The talk was about “practical wisdom” and the need to re-moralize professional life. I’m now writing a book on this topic with colleague Ken Sharpe. The reaction to the talk by the people in attendance was just overwhelming, and since the TED conference, the talk has been viewed by thousands of people on the TED Web site and on YouTube.com. Your readers should check it out. I am hopeful that when the book is done, I will regard it as the pinnacle of my career.

Is there anything that you are sorry for?

With respect to the big things, no. I have a wonderful marriage to an extraordinary woman, I love my kids and grandkids (and they seem to love me), I’ve had a great job for 38 years that pretty much lets me work on whatever I happen to be interested in at the moment. I have been lucky enough, throughout my life, to remain clear about what’s important and to be grateful for what is good. For the most part, I correct my mistakes and get over my setbacks. Looking back, I don’t think there is anything big that I would have done differently. How lucky is that?

How would you describe your current political point of view?

I’m a hybrid, I guess. I’m pretty much to the left of everybody who actually has power when it comes to economic matters and the role of government. I think economic activity should be regulated, wealth should be redistributed, basic needs (jobs, housing, health care, education) should be met for everyone, and money should be taken out of politics. On the other hand, I’m something of a social conservative. I think societies need to articulate and defend core values and ways of being in the world. I don’t think a society can function with 300 million free agents each deciding how to live with no rules. In fact, my own research suggests that this kind of unlimited freedom isn’t very good for individuals either. That said, I should acknowledge that it isn’t easy for a society like ours to agree on what its core values should be — but it’s a conversation worth having. I deeply admire President Obama, in part because I think he shares my view of things, though he’s a bit more willing to find a middle ground than I would be (as a result of which he might actually achieve something). I think he wants to help us to have important, public conversations about what matters, if only the rabid right will let him. I also admire his deep respect for knowledge, expertise and truth rather than “truthiness” (this word, coined by Steven Colbert, is a major contribution to our understanding of modern life.)

Who is your favorite musician/composer and why (feel free to list up to five)?

I’m afraid that I have very ordinary tastes and that I kind of got frozen in time 30 years ago. My favorite songwriters (and performers) are Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan (the older Bob Dylan), Paul Simon, the Beatles and Joni Mitchell. I also love Billie Holiday. I love their songs because they manage to provoke us to have thoughts and feelings about important things all in melodies we want to hum. I think I’d trade all I’ve written over the years for authorship of Thunder Road, or Old Friends, or Visions of Johanna, or A Day in the Life.

Please arrange the following four subjects in order of importance to you: science, religion, politics, art.

1. Politics
2. Science
3. Art (the literary arts in particular; my appreciation of visual art rivals that of your average 3-year-old)
4. Religion

What is your favorite quote?

I have a couple that I find myself using a lot:

“One cannot love humanity; one can only love people.” —novelist Graham Greene

“Security is more important than wealth.”  — biologist Jacob von Uexkull

What is your greatest source of inspiration?

My wife is my greatest source of inspiration. It is she who keeps convincing me that what I have to say is important. I’ve been doing what I do for 40 years. I would probably have subsided some time ago without her continuing encouragement. I should also say that she’s a tough, though sympathetic, critic. She’s had a hand in almost everything good that I’ve done over the years.

Define love in as few words as possible.

I think any attempt to define big, important ideas like “love” is doomed. Any definition is bound to leave something significant out. I will say that for me, the telltale sign that love is in the room is the visceral feeling of joy or sorrow I get at the triumphs and losses of another person. As Graham Greene said, you can’t love humanity, and one big reason why is that you inhabit the lives of the people you love as if they were your own.

What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is that my grandchildren will live their lives paying for our mistakes — our short sightedness, our materialism, our collective childishness.

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