---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were choices, and then there were…"
description: "\"“There were choices, and then there were choices. People could say “everything is a choice” with as much haughtiness and superiority as they liked, but..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg"
---

#  There were choices, and then there were choices. People…

![“There were choices, and then there were choices. People could say “everything is a choice” with as much haughtiness and superiority as they liked, but that didn’t mean desperate people wouldn’t take a third option if they could.” quote by Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg)

> ““There were choices, and then there were choices. People could say “everything is a choice” with as much haughtiness and superiority as they liked, but that didn’t mean desperate people wouldn’t take a third option if they could.””

[Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote highlights that while many view life as a series of binary choices, individuals facing desperation may seek alternative solutions beyond the obvious options.

**In simple terms:** Desperate people may look for a third option despite a belief that everything is a choice.

Key Takeaway

Consider alternatives when options seem limited.

Themes

choice desperation creativity agency

Mood

reflective hopeful critical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- crisis management
- personal dilemmas
- ethical decisions
- resource scarcity

Key Concepts

decision theory psychology problem solving

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you found an unexpected solution?
- What limits the search for alternatives?

A Different Perspective

The notion of a “third option” may be idealistic and not always feasible in real constraints.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Desperate People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate-people/)

## Related quotes

> [For the are times in life where we need to make choices choices that will hurt us presently but make us smile in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/for-the-are-times-in-life-where-we-need-to-make-choices-choices-that/)

[Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/)

> [“What about free will? . . . There's that too. I never understood why people think they're mutually exclusive. Ask me, our entire lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hooper/what-about-free-will-there-s-that-too-i-never-understood-why-people/)

[Kay Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hooper/)

> [A spine to my films that's become more evident to me is that many are about the choices people make, and the reverberations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/a-spine-to-my-films-that-s-become-more-evident-to-me-is-that-many-are/)

[Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/)

> [“It wasn't up to you when they put this on you. You wearing this is something they did to you. If you put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-rose/it-wasn-t-up-to-you-when-they-put-this-on-you-you-wearing-this-is/)

[Frankie Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-rose/)

> [The other possibility was that there was no right thing to say, that the choice wasn't between right and wrong but between wrong, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/the-other-possibility-was-that-there-was-no-right-thing-to-say-that/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [This is where it matters the most. This is where lives are made, in these moments when you can choose whether or not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/this-is-where-it-matters-the-most-this-is-where-lives-are-made-in/)

[Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/)

> [Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. To say you have no choice is to release yourself from responsibility and that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/choices-may-be-unbelievably-hard-but-they-re-never-impossible-to-say/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [When I say, 'The choice to not marry,' that doesn't always translate into, 'I am a woman, and I am deciding that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-traister/when-i-say-the-choice-to-not-marry-that-doesn-t-always-translate-into/)

[Rebecca Traister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-traister/)

> [Let me just say that, if you ever have the choice of putting your words in powerpoint or having them carved into 30-foot high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-norvig/let-me-just-say-that-if-you-ever-have-the-choice-of-putting-your/)

[Peter Norvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-norvig/)

> [I say we put a choice card in every veteran's hands to say, 'You choose.' You control your health care. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jolly/i-say-we-put-a-choice-card-in-every-veteran-s-hands-to-say-you-choose/)

[David Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jolly/)

> [“Because no matter what they say, you always have a choice. You just don’t always have the guts to make it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-n-kuili/because-no-matter-what-they-say-you-always-have-a-choice-you-just-don/)

Ray N. Kuili

> [ He \[Martin Luther King Jr.\] always used to say you have no choice about being born or dying. The only thing you have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/he-martin-luther-king-jr-always-used-to-say-you-have-no-choice-about/)

[Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/)

> [“But when I decided to move here, I found I had a choice between being liked and having a say. That’s the choice you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/but-when-i-decided-to-move-here-i-found-i-had-a-choice-between-being/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [“You're not seriously going?" Troy asks. "Of course I'm going," I say. "What other choice do I have?" "Um...not going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/you-re-not-seriously-going-troy-asks-of-course-i-m-going-i-say-what/)

[Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/)

> [I'm here to say there is a choice. If you want to stick to the status quo, pick the Republicans or Democrats, but don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ashjian/i-m-here-to-say-there-is-a-choice-if-you-want-to-stick-to-the-status/)

Scott Ashjian

## More by Rhiannon Thomas

> [“What was wrong with you?" "Melancholy. Nothing more or less than that. I have suffered it often. Not because I do not like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/what-was-wrong-with-you-melancholy-nothing-more-or-less-than-that-i/)

[Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

> [“There's no point in fighting for the throne if you're not going to make a difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/there-s-no-point-in-fighting-for-the-throne-if-you-re-not-going-to/)

[Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

> [“One can be interested in both fashion and politics, don't you think? They so often go hand in hand. Appearances, saying the right words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/one-can-be-interested-in-both-fashion-and-politics-don-t-you-think/)

[Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

> [“Perhaps you'll gave to kiss him again, if you're not sure. Gather more evidence. In the name of science.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/perhaps-you-ll-gave-to-kiss-him-again-if-you-re-not-sure-gather-more/)

[Rhiannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

[Explore all 5 Rhiannon Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/)

## More Choice quotes

> [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/)

[Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/)

> [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/)

[Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

Pancho Barnes

> [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/)

[Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/)

> [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/)

Randy C. Dockens

> [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/)

[Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/)

> [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/)

[Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/)

> [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/)

[Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/)

[Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There were choices, and then there were choices. People could say “everything is a choice” with as much haughtiness and superiority as they liked, but that didn’t mean desperate people wouldn’t take a third option if they could.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rhiannon Thomas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-choices-people-could-say/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-choices-people-could-say/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/rhiannon-thomas-61455_choice_there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-c_1210098.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There were choices, and then there were choices. People could say “everything is a choice” with as much…” — Rhiannon Thomas",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rhiannon Thomas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-thomas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There were choices, and then there...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-choices-people-could-say/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-thomas/there-were-choices-and-then-there-were-choices-people-could-say/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
