A Hobson’s Choice is a situation where someone must choose between two unappealing options, often with the illusion of choice. It can be a choice between something unsatisfactory or nothing at all, or between two unpleasant things. The term comes from Thomas Hobson, who ran a stud farm in the 1600s. It is often used in marketing to push people into making quick decisions.
A Hobson’s Choice is a choice where someone is given the opportunity to decide between two unpalatable options. In reality, a Hobson choice is not a choice at all, as the individual must decide the lesser of two evils, or settle for something rather than nothing. The term is often used in a situation where someone has the illusion of choice, but is not actually able to exercise free will. One of the most classic examples of Hobson’s Choice is Henry Ford’s marketing campaign for the Model T, in which he claimed that consumers can “have any color they want, as long as it’s black.
The term comes from a real person, Thomas Hobson, who ran a stud farm in Cambridge, England in the early 1600s. In an effort to keep the rotation stable so his horses weren’t abused, he said customers could bring the horse closest to the stable door, or none. The phrase “take that or none” was immortalized in a 1688 poem by Thomas Ward, who also referred to “Hobson’s Choice” in the poem.
Often, Hobson’s Choice is a choice between something or nothing. When asked to choose between an unsatisfactory thing and nothing at all, many people will settle for something unsatisfactory, but haven’t really made a choice. The term is often used to find the situation the homeless find themselves in, where they are not offered real options, only the illusion of choices. This type of Hobson’s choice is sometimes used to push people into a decision, especially in marketing.
Another type of Hobson’s choice is the two unpleasant things option. The classic phrase “your money or your life” is an example of Hobson’s Choice, because presumably the victim doesn’t want to give up either. Forced to choose between the two, many victims choose to give up their money. This is, of course, not a real choice, it’s a request masquerading as an option.
In marketing, the concept of Hobson’s Choice is often used to get people to buy products or make a quick decision. Potential home buyers, for example, might be told that another couple is bidding on a house, so they have to move quickly or end up with nothing. Many marketers are adept at forcing their clients into these kinds of situations while keeping customers in the dark, while others are brash about offering a Hobson’s Choice.
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