Are You a Maximizer?

The premier issue of Scientific American Mind has an interesting article "The Tyranny of Choice," by Barry Schwartz.

Maximizers are people who want to check out every option so they can select the elusive "best." In contrast, satisficers look for an item that meets their needs, and stop when they find it.

Maximizers are more likely to be less happy with their choice, and worry that there was something better they might have bought instead. (I think I've met a few of these folks searching for that perfect telescope over the years.)

Anyway, it is worth reading, and has some good advice for maximizers.

Clear skies, Alan

Well, no.
I are that other thing.
So equipment aquisition is a rather infrequent event.

I enjoy the concept:
The only thing wrong with "good enough" is that it's not "more better!"

And the irony of:
We get what we pay for, but do we actually know what it is that we're really paying for?

Hmmm....Astromart would be dead if not for the Maximizers!
Ivan

Hi, Alan,
A most astute query, as might be expected from you.
My take on this is that perfectionism, fantasy expectations, love of tinkering, and an increase in sophistication are involved in the usual progression of equipment ownership.
An AP Traveler often spurs a yearning for an AP 130, which spurs a yearning for an AP 7 or 8 inch, etc. A TMB 80 spurs a yearning for a TMB 115 or 130, or a TEC or TV 140, etc. This trend can be observed on the AP and TMB yahoo groups.
Similarly perhaps with Dobs. But with Dobs the human life cycle is also involved: Dobs grow larger from the early years into middle age, then smaller as aging sets in and one cannot handle such a large scope.
It would be nice if people could find a scope they love and stick with it for a long time and concentrate on enjoying the sky. As I have with a 6 inch f./5 for twenty years, and now an 11 SM ELT f/4.5. My wife has a 10 inch CPT which she adores.
I hear of so many people who own 8 telescopes, and I think of how good and satisfying a scope they could have afforded if they had bought just one or two really good ones.
Thanks for the stimulating post,
Bill Meyers

Sounds like an interesting article, I may have to check it out. The grass is always greener I guess.

I don't think I qualify as a 'maximizer' -- I'm one of those semi-long-term 'phase' astronomers. I went through a 10-year SCT/general observing phase, a 10-year truss dob 'deep sky' phase, etc.

Right now I'm 3 years into my homemade-planetary dob phase. Though I'm not sure it's a phase this time, I may have finally reached my own personal telescope Nirvana. We'll see in 7 years I guess

I carry an old fortune cookie in my wallet:

Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought.

Optimized (as opposed to Maximized) instruments are simple to use and effective. They are usually more expensive than merely Maximized instruments that try to do everything, often poorly.

I would like to believe we are Optimizers, not Maximizers.

-- William

p.s. No, not the cookie itself! That I ate.

Maximizers are people who want to check out every option so they can select the elusive "best." In contrast, satisficers look for an item that meets their needs, and stop when they find it.
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Hi Alan: Interesting concepts.

Personally I think I am a "Cheapifier", I will buy it if its cheap enough.

In general, I am satisfied with just about everything I have ever owned (excepting a certain 102F6 refractor that arrived DOA and a couple of MAKs.) I like to appreciate the equipment and the views they can provide for what they are.

My last acquistion was an Celestron First Scope 80EQ, a 910mm 80mm Chinese scope and a wooden EQ mount, came with a couple of eyepieces, one a Parks GS 10mm. The whole deal cost about what that Parks eyepiece would cost new.

Certainly not an AP but I will say it has increased my appreciation for slower focal ratio refractors and that I really enjoy using it. This scope has a Fratio/Diameter(inches) of 3.6 which by some rule of thumb would mean the false color should be acceptable and it certainly is. Clear sharp views of the Cassini, nice splits of double stars and surprsingly good on DSO's.

Over the years I have gotten pretty much into fast scopes, this scope really shows what a nice job a simple Plossl can do at F11.4. My 32mm Celeston Plossl had fallen into disuse simply because other eyepieces provided better widefield performance at F5. But in this scope, the Plossls provide sharp pin-point stars to the edge. Last night I had one of the best views of the Beehive I have ever had. It also does a nice job on the Double Cluster.

I try to view every night possible but I live in the middle of a city of 1.3 million people so there are a limited number of DSO's to see. A new scope now and then, something to tune up, something to try out, something to enjoy a new viewpoint with, helps keep things exciting.

I am not looking for perfection, I can enjoy a $50 refractor from Walmart for what it can do, and not be frustrated with what it cannot do....

Satisfied-Cheapifier...

Jon Isaacs