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

Sun Nov 6 01:46:32 UTC 2022

As a short, pithy statement here's Herbert Newton Casson in 1898

"Conservatives have no trouble in agreeing ; they all think alike ,
because they do not think at all ; "

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Red_Light/0VI2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22think+alike%22+%22do+not+think+at+all%22&dq=%22think+alike%22+%22do+not+think+at+all%22&printsec=frontcover

here's the date of publication:
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Red_Light/0VI2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22think+alike%22+%22do+not+think+at+all%22&dq=%22think+alike%22+%22do+not+think+at+all%22&printsec=frontcover

The idea is older.  Other people have said similar things, but used
a larger number of words.

Here's a precursor, 1842

John Stuart, The Bible of Nature, 1842

"I do not believe that any two men , on what are called
doctrinal points , think alike who think at all . It is only
those who have not thought that appear to agree . "

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Bible_of_Nature_and_Substance_of_Vir/iHlYAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22think+alike%22+%22think+at+all%22&pg=RA5-PA204&printsec=frontcover

and  a transcript of a debate, June 16th 1865

Dr Gibbons said:

"Men who think at all , don't think like anybody else . It
is the unthinking people, if you can pardon the solecism,
who think alike."

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Oration_Poem_and_Speeches/dqYWAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22think+alike%22+%22think+at+all%22&pg=PA89&printsec=frontcover

------ Original Message ------
>From "ADSGarson O'Toole" <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Date 05/11/2022 19:46:04
Subject Saying: When everybody thinks alike, nobody will think at all

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

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