I am studying for ETS Toefl exam and I was writing an essay on the paradox of choice - if having a lot of options is good or bad. I had to read a text and listen to a lecture, and summarize the points made in the lecture, explaining how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage. Can you please analyse what I could do better in my essay? Thanks in advance!
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Comparing the lecture and the reading passage, we can notice they have opposite opinions. In the lecture, the speaker starts by saying that many people think that having too many options is good, but he disagrees with it. The reason for that is that for the speaker, having too many options may, in the first place, lead to mental fatigue, as you spend a greater amount of time thinking about the decision than actually dealing with it. On the other hand, in the reading passage we notice that the writer considers having a lot of options as a positive reality, as we can have access to a wider variety of options to make our life better. That, for the writer, increases the probability that some of the options will meet our needs at some point.
Further in the lecture, the speaker establishes a relation between the number of options and products in the market world. For him, first of all, the increased number of possibilities leads to what is called "decision fatigue", which can reduce productivity, as it forces people to think excessively before choosing what to work with, for example. The speaker then proceeds to state that in the business world, companies tend to focus on an increased variety, but low quality, which creates a scenario of "mediocre products". Opposing to that, in the reading passage, the writer states that the increase in the number of choices promotes innovation, as companies have to create new solutions for the same problems in order to have success. According to the writer, people tend to seek new and better alternatives when the already existing number of options become limited.
At last, in the lecture, the speaker states that having a lot of options leads to "lazy people", as it makes a great deal of options, for which the decision makers do not feel motivated to stride for them. As for the writer in the reading passage, having a lot of options increases personal growth and development, because it makes it possible for people to search among the wide range of options and learn which of them better suits them.
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Comparing the lecture and the reading passage, we can notice they have opposite opinions. In the lecture, the speaker starts by saying that many people think that having too many options is good, but he disagrees with it. The reason for that is that for the speaker, having too many options may, in the first place, lead to mental fatigue, as you spend a greater amount of time thinking about the decision than actually dealing with it. On the other hand, in the reading passage we notice that the writer considers having a lot of options as a positive reality, as we can have access to a wider variety of options to make our life better. That, for the writer, increases the probability that some of the options will meet our needs at some point.
Further in the lecture, the speaker establishes a relation between the number of options and products in the market world. For him, first of all, the increased number of possibilities leads to what is called "decision fatigue", which can reduce productivity, as it forces people to think excessively before choosing what to work with, for example. The speaker then proceeds to state that in the business world, companies tend to focus on an increased variety, but low quality, which creates a scenario of "mediocre products". Opposing to that, in the reading passage, the writer states that the increase in the number of choices promotes innovation, as companies have to create new solutions for the same problems in order to have success. According to the writer, people tend to seek new and better alternatives when the already existing number of options become limited.
At last, in the lecture, the speaker states that having a lot of options leads to "lazy people", as it makes a great deal of options, for which the decision makers do not feel motivated to stride for them. As for the writer in the reading passage, having a lot of options increases personal growth and development, because it makes it possible for people to search among the wide range of options and learn which of them better suits them.
