Not to play "devil's advocate," or anything but... didn't you just make the case for there always - and I emphasize 'always'! - being options/alternatives? [Regardless of those options' desirability or undesirability, they exist.]
Maybe, but your original statement stated that they "volunteered." Kindly inform me of your perspective on the word "volunteer" and the definition.
From my perspective, they didn't volunteer.