[Ads-l] "so crazy it might just work"

[Jonathan Lighter]

It must be significant that a direct connection between craziness and a
real chance of success seems to not to have been a "meme" until the 1930s
or later.

JL

On Thu, Mar 26, 2020 at 4:33 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:

> There are many variations on the theme, e.g. "It's just crazy enough to
> work."
>
> ---
> Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), Dec. 20, 1944, p. 10
> "I have heard some people say the whole business is crazy, and it may be,"
> Harrod said. "But maybe it's just crazy enough to work out."
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47400034/just-crazy-enough-to-work-out/
> ---
> Brockway (PA) Record, Nov. 15, 1956, p. 6
> Old Greg had explained the plan to us the night before, and by George it
> was just crazy enough to work.
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47402250/just-crazy-enough-to-work/
> ---
> Miami Herald, Jan. 20, 1958, p. 10C
> "It's one of my crazy ideas," he [sc. John Steinbeck] said. "But it might
> be crazy enough to work."
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47402306/it-might-be-crazy-enough-to-work/
> ---
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 26, 2020 at 3:04 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Has anyone not heard this optimistic phrase?
> >
> > Earliest?
> >
> > 1967 Erma Bombeck in _Plain Dealer_ (Cleveland) (March 30) 19: It's so
> > crazy, it might just work.
> >
> >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


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------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org