Episode 411 — Mexican Standoff

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Randall Park & Andrew discuss if there is a non racist way to use the phrase Mexican standoff. Be sure to keep leaving us messages at (323) 389-RACE.

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From tvtropes.org:

 

It's Older Than Radio and has been around long enough to be parodied in the play "The Critic", first staged in 1779. The term itself, however, originated in the 19th century - possibly in Australia, of all places - regarding perceived political indecision in Mexico.

Unsurprisingly, Mexicans don't refer to this as a Mexican standoff. In fact, no quippy Spanish equivalent seems to exist at all.

 

and later in the article

 

 

A Mexican Standoff is a heightened version of what is sometimes referred to as a Hobbesian Trap (After the philosopher, not the tiger). When two (or more) parties are both able to do harm to the others, and afraid of being harmed by the others, the trap is set. A great deal of effort has gone into providing ways to safely back out of the trap, at least on the national level; "Honor", where making a pre-emptive strike causes the nation to become a pariah; mutual defence treaties, where another nation will avenge any pre-emptive strike made against their ally, in order to discourage agressors; and international organisations like the U.N., who provide a way for nations in a Hobbesian trap to reduce their conflict to a war of words rather than arms.

 

So a Hob-trap seems like a better compromise

 

...or is it?