As much as I adore this quote, I find it impossible to believe that Albert Einstein uttered these words. They have no source. And no lost interview or manuscript could've produced a quote that has reached the level of Internet fame that this one has. If one compares this popular statement to those of his for which exists documentation, it’s easy to see that Einstein spoke with a degree of eloquence (and sometimes obscurity) that is simply is missing from the quote in question. It’s a beautiful (and, I think, a very true) quote. Yet, compare it to what Einstein told E. Mulder in April 1954:
"Fear or stupidity has always been the basis of most human actions."
Einstein acknowledged the complexity inherent in each individual. Good and evil, intelligence and ignorance--a person could possess each of these qualities simultaneously. For him to have made the blanket statement, "everyone is a genius" is unbelievable to me. The quote is too optimistic--too gimmicky. On the other hand, the man wore fuzzy slippers, so I suppose nothing is too farfetched where he is concerned. I would avoid attributing that quote to him, though.
Einstein was such a wordsmith. I agree that this quote seems to blunt for him to have said. It is a good quote though and whomever said it is a shame that its author is not properly attributed for it.
ReplyDeleteI know! A lot of these fake quotes are actually pretty good, and I have no idea why those who actually came up with them chose not to credit themselves. Maybe they figured the quote would get more attention with a famous name attached to it. I guess they were right in that sense, but it's still a shame. Maybe I'll do a post on how these get started (if I can find out).
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