Have you heard the statement of Pablo Escobar, which is often called the "Escobar axiom"? It is not so important who he is, but his words very clearly reflect the problem of choosing between two alternatives that we do not like.
Who is Pablo Escobar?
Most often, theorems or axioms belong to the mind and activities of mathematicians or physicists, while the situation with Escobar's theorem is somewhat different. Pablo Emilio Escobar is a drug lord from Colombia who was shot dead in 1993. During his lifetime, by virtue of his profession, he expressed himself obscenely and did not make discoveries in mathematics or physics. Meanwhile, his authorship belongs to a fairly well-known phrase that illustrates a non-alternative choice. Translated into Russian and in a censored form, it sounds like this: "If you choose from two opposites in a non-alternative situation, both options will be nonsense." This axiom became known quite by accident after being published on the Lurkmore portal. Now this resource is buried, but the "theorem" has scattered across the Web and has become quite famous.
Is this a theorem or an axiom? The theorem needs confirmation, while the axiom is a postulate, a truth that does not require proof. Pablo Escobar’s statement does not really need an argument for, so it’s more correct to call it an “axiom”.
Synonyms for the expression Escobar
The axiom of the drug lord is not the first in history to clearly reflect the situation when we are faced with two uncomfortable options as a choice. Remember the saying "choose the lesser of two evils", the meaning of which is close to the words of Escobar. The axiom in this case is as follows: if both options are not to your liking, and there is no alternative, consider when choosing which one you will lose less.
Between Scylla and Charybdis
Another synonymous statement refers to the winged expressions of Greek mythology and sounds like "between Scylla and Charybdis." When Odysseus was sailing, he had to pass a dangerous place on the ship, located between two rocks. In one rock, called Charybdis, there was a cave, the abode of a terrible monster. And on Mount Szilla there lived an evil sea goddess. Passing the rocks, it was simply impossible to get around them, and therefore Odysseus decided to swim past Scylla. As Odysseus calculated, a monster would have destroyed a maximum of half the team, while the sea goddess would have killed the whole team and Odysseus himself. And by doing so, the famous navigator saved most of the crew.
Also in the Russian language there are sayings “from fire to fire”, “between a rock and a hard place”, which mean the same thing - in the case of two uncontested possibilities, you still have to choose something, but this choice will not make us happy.
Choice in modern realities
How does Escobar's theorem look like in real life? We are constantly faced with situations where you need to choose between alternatives that are completely bleak. Imagine that you need your job because of the salary you support your family. At the same time, your boss tells you that you will have to stay late for a month, otherwise he will fire you. You understand that if you get fired, then finding a suitable job will be very difficult. And what to choose? You work for the sake of your loved ones, but you will have to abandon them for a while in order to raise funds for your life. If you choose relatives, then it is not a fact that you will find money for their maintenance in the near future. You don’t like both options, but you will choose the lesser of evils.
There is always a choice
Escobar's theorem assumes the presence of only two options, each of which we do not like. But meanwhile, reality implies, as a rule, much more possibilities. Faced a non-alternative situation? Look at it from a different angle, maybe you did not take into account all the possibilities. Very often we “shut up” and close ourselves with a choice that lies in a different plane. In order not to fall prey to Pablo Escobar's theorem, the axiom is the following - allow yourself to look at the problem with different eyes. Give yourself time, become an indifferent, indifferent observer, ask for advice from relatives or relatives. Along with the "two evils" there is another saying - "there is always a choice." And believe me, the matter lies not only in Scylla and Charybdis, there is an opportunity to turn back or choose a completely different path. Mr. Escobar's axiom is a controversial statement. Very rarely, life provides us with only two scenarios.