Einstein, not a psychiatrist, did not define *insanity*

[immoderate]

The "classic" Einstein misattribution, platitudinously and piously propagated by Mitch McConnel today, is often quoted right here on DU.

According to Wikiquote:

Misattributed to various people, including Albert Einstein and Mark Twain. The earliest known occurrence, and probable origin is Rita Mae Brown, Sudden Death (Bantam Books, New York, 1983), p. 68.

It's not a definition of insanity, but it works for stupidity, or religion, or obsession, or practice. Pick your shot.

The point is, this is never a good argument for anything. Unless you make it more specific, it is name calling.

--imm

[Motown_Johnny]

1. I have seen this posted here many times. are you expecting a different result this time?

Kidding!!!!



It was a joke!



sorry





and thanks for point out that it wasn't Twain either (I honestly thought it was).

[immoderate]

3. LOL! It is so all purpose!

Rita Mae wrote many books and screenplays.

Is also credited with: "If the world was a logical place, men would ride side saddle."

Glad to exonerate Twain, who along with Einstein, Franklin and a few, are my favorite brains. Better that it comes from a fictional character.



--imm

[Morning Dew]

2. Ask Joe Theismann -

maybe it was Norman Einstein.

:shrug:

[immoderate]

4. Gordon Einstein?

One of us is mixed up.


--imm

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. How is it not a definition of insanity?

Do you think it is sane to expect different results for identical actions?

[immoderate]

6. Ever buy a lottery ticket? Develop a golf swing?

Also, depends on what you mean by insanity. It's usually something you frown on. There's no legal definition.

People perfecting a discipline might fit the definition. Casino patrons?

Insanity could apply to anybody?


--imm

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. You're reaching.

Lottery tickets - nobody EXPECTS to win the lottery.

Golf - you are NOT repeating the same action, at least not deliberately. You are making subtle changes with every swing to find the sweet spot that WILL give you different results. The ultimate aim is not to get 'different results' but to get repeatability of the same result.

And there IS a legal definition of insanity, which differs greatly from the medical definition of insanity.

To repeat the SAME action and EXPECT a DIFFERENT result is not rational. Irrationality = insanity.

[immoderate]

8. You got me on legal definition. Only applies in court though.

I come across irrationality a lot. It's always insanity, not typical human behavior?

The reason I brought this up today, beside that Einstein didn't say it, is that Mitch McConnel said today, Einstein would say it about Obama. Is Obama insane? You go with Mitch?

It's also very clear you think golfers are insane. Well, I do too, but for different reasons. It's kind of subjective and semantic all at once, but one thing is absolute truth:

Einstein didn't say it!

But you can say it. :shrug:

--imm

[LanternWaste]

9. I certainly thought so at 5:30pm every weekday evening

"o you think it is sane to expect different results for identical actions?:

I certainly thought so at 5:30pm every weekday evening back when I was in school and practicing a clarinet for 90 minutes...

[firehorse]

10. "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" is a 12 step slogan

I don't really care who wrote it. Its a tool much like: "going to the hardware store to get oranges" is also helpful.

[immoderate]

11. It means something, but proves nothing.

Einstein was in AA? :shrug:

Is that a city hardware store, or a country hardware store?

My point being is that it is used against something you frown on. Excuses are made for "noble effort." It's a rhetorical device. Why say it, except to impose a false authority?

--imm

[firehorse]

12. Why does it matter who uses the expression or if they assign it Einstein. Why the policing?

Why not just ignore it?

For some people its a useful expression that transcends AA rooms. Who cares who wrote it.

[immoderate]

13. Just pointing out the dishonesty and manipulation. What's it to ya?

And who knew about the AA-Einstein dependency relationship? :shrug:

If I could ignore it, seems you could just as easily have ignored my notice of it. And you didn't.

I didn't know that AA needed to think that Einstein, a bit outside his field, "set the tone for the unit" as it were. I'm sure that reality does not matter in that therapeutic setting and they will ignore this.

I just thought people use it when they want to bullshit. Cause I don't go to AA, but I hear it, and it's bullshit to set up subsequent bullshit, nearly every time.


--imm