#Take it or leave it meaning update

Catch-22: a logical paradox arising from a situation in which an individual needs something that can only be acquired by not being in that very situation.False dilemma: only certain choices are considered, when in fact there are others.Dilemma: a choice between two or more options, none of which are attractive.They should have never been allowed to receive a literary education. But, in that case, all that has been done in the modern world to relax the chain on the minds of women, has been a mistake. And if men are determined that the law of marriage shall be a law of despotism, they are quite right in point of mere policy, in leaving to women only Hobson's choice.

It is not a sign of one's thinking the boon one offers very attractive, when one allows only Hobson's choice, 'that or none'. If they mean what they say, their opinion must evidently be, that men do not render the married condition so desirable to women, as to induce them to accept it for its own recommendations.

Those who attempt to force women into marriage by closing all other doors against them, lay themselves open to a similar retort. In another of his books, The Subjection of Women, Mill discusses marriage: When the individuals composing the majority would no longer be reduced to Hobson's choice, of either voting for the person brought forward by their local leaders, or not voting at all.

John Stuart Mill, in his book Considerations on Representative Government, refers to Hobson's choice: Hobson's choice is one between something or nothing. The term 'Hobson's choice' is often used to mean an illusion of choice, but it is not a choice between two equivalent options, which is a Morton's fork, nor is it a choice between two undesirable options, which is a dilemma. 509 of 14 October 1712) and in Thomas Ward's 1688 poem 'England's Reformation', not published until after Ward's death. It also appears in Joseph Addison's paper The Spectator (No. If in this Case there be no other (as the Proverb is) then Hobson's choice.which is, chuse whether you will have this or none. Early appearances in writing Īccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known written usage of this phrase is in The rustick's alarm to the Rabbies, written by Samuel Fisher in 1660: Hobson's stable was located on land that is now owned by St Catharine's College, Cambridge. This was to prevent the best horses from always being chosen, which would have caused those horses to become overused. This gave the appearance to his customers that, upon entry, they would have their choice of mounts, when in fact there was only one: Hobson required his customers to take the horse in the stall closest to the door. I don't have any strong feelings about it one way or the other.Portrait of Thomas Hobson in the National Portrait Gallery, LondonĪccording to a plaque underneath a painting of Hobson donated to Cambridge Guildhall, Hobson had an extensive stable of some 40 horses. I'll eat anything I didn't have to cook myself.

#Take it or leave it meaning update

Update based on a better understanding of the question: I don't recommend you use it for this meaning. Whatever is a modern option but could be taken as disrespectful. The above are all traditional and respectful and never go out of style. ‘they may leave or they may accept the change, but either way, it'll take some work on your end’ ( Oxford) either way: Whichever of two given alternatives is the case. This may express more of a negative opinion of the thing in question than a neutral opinion, but it's definitely the phrase I have been seeking.

It really just seems like 'take it or leave it' has been improperly co-opted as a means to express indifference.ĮDIT: After all of your inputs, I think I've remembered the statement I've been looking for. You know when you can't remember the name of that one guy in that movie, but you know that you know it? In the same way, I'm certain there's another (more correct) colloquial phrase to convey indifference without saying 'I could take it or leave it' (and I've heard it before), but I can't remember what that is. How do you feel about it?'īut I'm much more accustomed to hearing ' take it or leave it' used in the form of an ultimatum, especially in a negotiation setting -īuyer: 'I'll give you $60. I've recently seen 'I could take it or leave it' as a way of saying 'it's not that important to me.' For example,