Aphorisms and Idioms: Great Minds Think Alike.
W
e hear the expression “Great minds think alike” when two people arrive at the same conclusion, or come up with the same idea, at the same time.
At its core, “great minds think alike,” celebrates intellectual synergy, the cooperative interaction of creative thinkers working toward the same answers or solutions. [1] Like Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace who, independent of one another, were both writing about natural selection during the mid-nineteenth century.[2]
We seldom hear the other half of this saying, however, the often-forgotten, “but fools seldom differ.” Which is a warning against groupthink and the dangers of blindly agreeing with others.
Intelligent thought is about more than simple agreement. It’s about reasoning and analysis. So, when you find yourself thinking the same way as someone else, stop to consider whether that’s a result of insight or a lack of critical evaluation.
When taken as a whole, Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ, this aphorism highlights the importance of independent thought and the ability to entertain diverse ideas. Bearing in mind all the book banning and full-throttle attacks on diversity taking place these days, that’s something we could use a lot more of.
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Endnotes:
[1] Nguyen, Spring. “Great Minds Think Alike Full Quote: Oriign, Meaning, 55 Best Variations & When to Use It.” Snugfam.com snugfam.com/great-minds-think-alike-full-quote-origin-meaning-55-best-variations-when-to-use-it/
[2] “What about Wallace?” Charles Darwin & Evolution. https://darwin200.christs.cam.ac.uk/what-about-wallace
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Great Minds Think Alike: Photo by William Felipe Seccon on Unsplash
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