🙈 Choice Between Two Evils: When You're Doomed Either Way 🙉

A detailed exploration of the age-old dilemma of choosing the lesser of two evils, with a mix of history, humor, and wit to make unpleasant decisions a bit more bearable.

Choice Between (Of) Two Evils, A 🙈🙉

Definition: Two unpleasant alternatives. The full expression, “choose the lesser of two evils,” was already a proverb listed by John Heywood in 1546 and dates, in slightly different form, from Plato’s and Aristotle’s times. “Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese,” wrote Chaucer in Troilus and Criseyde. Since it is not always possible to decide between two such alternatives, C. H. Spurgeon may offer the best advice: “Of two evils, choose neither” (John Ploughman’s Talk, 1880).

Synonyms:

Between a rock and a hard place
Hobson’s choice
Between Scylla and Charybdis
Catch-22

Antonyms:

Win-win situation
No-brainer
Sure bet
No-lose scenario

Humor-Filled Quotes:

😄 “Of two evils, I always choose the one I haven’t tried before.” — Mae West

Devil and the deep blue sea: Stuck between equally perilous alternatives.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Escaping one problem, only to end up in a worse one.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t: No action will lead to a positive result.

Similar Proverbs:

“A drowning man will clutch at a straw.” — Implies choosing any means to escape a difficult situation, even an inadequate one.
“Between two stools one falls to the ground.” — Picking neither of two options may lead to an even worse outcome.

Literature and Books:

“Sophie’s Choice” by William Styron — A haunting novel where the protagonist must make an unimaginable choice.
“Catch-22” by Joseph Heller — A book that explores paradoxical situations where no favorable outcomes exist.

Songs:

“Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel — Perfectly describes the chaos of being caught between bad choices.

Inspirational Take:

Finding yourself pull between two unappealing options is the hallmark of difficult decision-making. Sometimes the best strategy is not in choosing but in finding a creative third option, or as Spurgeon recommended, opting out altogether.

### Which of these reflects the idiom "choice between two evils"? - [x] Between a rock and a hard place - [ ] Bread and butter - [ ] Call it a day - [ ] Piece of cake > **Explanation:** "Between a rock and a hard place" is another way to describe choosing between two unpleasant alternatives, fitting the theme of the idiom. ### Which proverb is similar to "choice between two evils"? - [ ] A rolling stone gathers no moss - [ ] Look before you leap - [x] Damned if you do, damned if you don’t - [ ] Beggars can't be choosers > **Explanation:** "Damned if you do, damned if you don’t" captures the essence of facing undesirable consequences regardless of the choice made. ### True or False: ‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire’ is related to 'choice between two evils.' - [x] True - [ ] False > **Explanation:** True, it describes a scenario where escaping one problem leads to a similar or worse one, just like choosing between two evils.

Inspirational though-provoking farewell: “Remember, a dilemma is not just a test of your decision-making skills but also an opportunity to redefine your creative thinking. When faced with the choice between two evils, dare to find a third possibility.”