If I give you an apple and an orange and I tell you to choose, how many choices do you really have?

[wheeloffortune-design]

Two? Nope. You have FIVE, minimum.

• You take the apple
  
• You take the orange
  
• You take both
• You take nothing
• You take something else

And this works EVERYWHERE. 

“Are you with us or with them?”

• I’m with you!
  
• I’m with them!
  
• You both have good points!
  
• You’re all insane!
  
• I’m going with that other group over there!

“You need to vote Democrat or Republican!”

• Democrat!
  
• Republican!
  
• I switch depending on the leader and the issues!
  
• I don’t vote! 
• I vote for a third-party!

“Are you Christian or Muslim??”  

• I’m Christian
  
• I’m Muslim
  
• I think God is one and the same and follow good doctrines of both
  
• I’m atheist
  
• I’m Jewish
  

And it’s often more subtle

Like a salesperson handing you two products and pressuring you to buy one of them, making you forget that 

• You don’t have to buy anything if you don’t want to
  
• You can leave the store and buy something elsewhere
  

And sometimes it can be as important as

“Are you gay or are you straight?”

• I’m gay
  
• I’m straight
  
• I’m both? So Bi?
  
• I like no one, I’m ace. 
  
• I’m anything else, really, this is a spectrum and I define my own orientation.
  

So remember- If someone if pressuring you to pick between two choices, they’re probably trying to manipulate you by making you forget you also have another three options.

[lamsandjeffmadstrash]

h
holy shit

[slightlyunofficial]

fuck

[whitmerule]

And of course the implied sixth option: okay, I don’t like your tone so I’m not going to answer your question. Even if you HAVE made a choice, you don’t have to give it to them.