[Ads-l] Saying: When everybody thinks alike, nobody will think at all

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The statement in the subject line is a member of a family of sayings
with many versions. Instances have been attributed to the statesman
Benjamin Franklin, the journalist Walter Lippmann, the military figure
George S. Patton, and others.

Barry Popik explored this topic and found helpful citations beginning in 1919.
https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/if_everybodys_thinking_alike_somebody_isnt_thinking/

Now an analysis has been posted to the Quote Investigator website.
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2022/11/05/think-alike/

Summary: A precursor occurred in 1886, but the earliest full match I
located occurred as an anonymous filler item in 1905. Walter Lippmann
employed an instance in 1915, and he often receives credit for his
popular phrasing. Stanford Professor Edward Krehbiel used an instance
in 1919 although he disclaimed authorship later. Newspaper columnist
Humphrey B. Neill crafted a version in 1949.

I hypothesize that the linkage to Benjamin Franklin and General George
Patton occurred because of remarks in the 1979 book “I Remember
General Patton’s Principles” by Porter B. Williamson. The book did not
directly attribute the saying to either of these men; instead, the
book claimed that the saying represented a decision making principle
used by Franklin and Patton.

Below is an overview representing the evolution of this family with
dates and attributions:

1886: When everybody thinks alike there is hardly any incentive to think at all
(Anonymous)

1905: When everybody thinks alike, nobody will think at all
(Anonymous)

1910: Where all think alike, you will find also a central office where
all the thinking is done
(Jonathan P. Dolliver)

1915: Where all think alike, no one thinks very much
(Walter Lippmann)

1918: When all think alike no one thinks very much
(Anonymous)

1919: When everybody thinks alike nobody thinks at all
(Edward Krehbiel; He disclaimed credit in 1922)

1934: Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.
(Attributed to Walter Lippmann)

1935: Where everybody thinks alike nobody thinks much
(Anonymous)

1942: When everyone thinks alike, no one thinks.
(Attributed to Reader’s Digest)

1949: When everyone thinks alike, ‘everyone’ is likely to be wrong
(Humphrey B. Neill)

1955: With everyone thinking alike, no one thinks at all
(Juvenile probation officer)

1959: When everyone is thinking alike, no one is doing any thinking!
(Attributed to Walter Lippmann)

1964: If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking at all
(Attributed to John F. Kennedy)

1976: When everyone thinks alike, nobody thinks
(Attributed to Walter Lippmann)

1977: When all think alike, none thinks very much
(Attributed to Ronald Gould)

1979: No one is thinking if everyone is thinking alike
(Principle ascribed to Benjamin Franklin)

1979: If everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking
(Principle ascribed to George Patton)

1988: If everybody’s thinking alike we’re not thinking
(Attributed to Sue Myrick)

1989: When all think alike, then no one is thinking.
(Attributed to Walter Lippmann)

1990: If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn’t thinking
(Attributed to George Patton)

1995: If everyone is thinking alike then no one is thinking
(Attributed to Benjamin Franklin)

1997: No one’s thinking if everyone is thinking alike
(Attributed to George Patton)

Interesting citations and/or commentary would be welcome.
Garson

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