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Chicken-egg Problem

A reference to the classic, epistemological problem of determining the (efficient) cause and a corresponding product amongst entities that could be argued to fill either, opposing roles.

Used more colloquially to laugh off an impasse in which the solution to a problem cannot feasibly be made to precede and solve that problem until said problem is already solved. Really, it can be downright abused on any pickle, dilemma or conundrum.

The interview is tomorrow but I’m still naked, broke and nobody will loan me money. If only I had a job so I could buy a suit. It’s a real chicken-egg problem.”
“Christian used this turn of phrase word for word in college back in 2007. But it’s been heard in use lately. Where’d it actually come from? Gaaaaw-lee, what a chicken-egg problem.”

by CSean7 January 18, 2018