Quandaries as Crossroads in Life’s Chess Game

Word of the Day — Quandary

On the chessboard of life, a quandary holds a question. In the silence of thought are the forward movements. — ShadowsPub

A quandary is a state of uncertainty over how to respond to a difficult situation. Its origins are uncertain, but it’s believed to be possibly Latin in origin. It first appeared in the 16th century. Quandary is often used to describe internal conflicts someone tries to work through.

Being in a quandary is often related to cognitive dissonance, where beliefs held are inconsistent with actions taken or being considered. Consider news reports of events where finding the right and wrong of the issue has so much nuance and a gray area, and it’s a struggle to square the situation with your own beliefs.

In most cases, those issues won’t directly change your life. The example is a big-picture view of what a quandary is.

To bring the picture in, think about a situation where someone you care for reveals something about their beliefs or actions that’s at odds with your sense of right and wrong. The revelation will give you a quandary about how this new information impacts your perception of the person.