[Ads-l] Saying: When everybody thinks alike, nobody will think at all
ADSGarson O'Toole
adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Sun Nov 6 18:55:33 UTC 2022
Thanks for sharing some interesting precursors, Pete. The QI article
has been updated, and you are acknowledged. Changes should be visible
within 48 hours.
Garson
On Sat, Nov 5, 2022 at 9:46 PM Pete Morris <mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:
>
> 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
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