The quotation presents a comic paradox in which both action and inaction appear equally capable of producing regret. Marriage is the immediate example, but the broader point concerns choice itself. Any decision closes off alternatives, making it possible to imagine that another course might have been better.

Within Either/Or, this pattern of reasoning reflects the difficulty of trying to escape uncertainty by considering every possible outcome. If both choosing and refusing to choose can later be regretted, reflection alone cannot guarantee a decision free from dissatisfaction. The passage therefore exposes the limits of endless comparison between alternatives. Its humour comes from extending the logic until every option seems self-defeating. Rather than offering practical advice about marriage, the remark illustrates how a person can become trapped when the desire to avoid regret makes commitment itself appear impossible.