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Hobson's choice, I believe, was a
favorite term of Lance editor Larry Deck and most philosophy
students. A "Hobson's choice" means having no choice at all. You
either accept what you're given or just bugger off.
I believe the origin comes from Oxford.
Before the invention of the kegger and stamping out crop circles in wheat
fields, Oxford University students contented themselves with weekend pony rides. The
proprietor of the local pony ride was called Hobson. Available ponies were
placed single file in a fenced queue. If you wished to ride a pony, you had
to take the next pony Hobson offered you in the queue. Unfortunately, most
of Hobson's ponies were pretty scratch and dent. The pony offered was
pretty much not the pony you wanted to ride. You could not, however, pick
your pony, as there was no way to get the pony through the fence.
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