Great minds think alike
Today’s post is for Jake, who recently commented on a recent post: “Used/ taught this idiom in classes last week too! Great minds...” I am grateful for this comment for a number of reasons. First, I always like to see comments, likes, and shares on my posts. A fair amount of effort goes into these, so it is nice to have people looking at them. Secondly, the fact that we are both teaching similar phrases means I am on the right track. I want to cover useful English phrases. Finally, I like that Jake said, “Great minds….” But what did he mean?
‘Great minds’ is an abbreviation of “great minds think alike.” It is a way of saying, “we both had a good idea.” In British English, the phrase can be extended to say, “great minds think alike, fools seldom differ.” Usually, the phrase is used to highlight similar ways of thinking. It can be used jokingly to draw attention to similarities as well.
Example: You are taking next Monday off work as well? Great mind think alike.
Example (joking): I also wore a red t-shirt today. Hey, great minds think alike.
‘Great minds think alike’ dates to 1618 when Dabridgecourt Belchier wrote, “Though he made that were, Those words were made before. Good wits doe jumpe.” At that time, jumpe meant agreeing or similar. Arabic versions of the phrase were around before the Belchier quote. There is also a Chinese proverb coined by Confucius that says, “All great heroes think alike.”
Do great minds really think alike? Not really. There has been a number of people who disagree with the thought behind this phrase. Thomas Paine basically said that only fools agree. Often, the people we call great thinkers have a unique way of thinking. They are great because they don’t think the way normal people do and can come up with solutions others wouldn’t have thought of. Two people having a similar thought is not proof that it is a great idea. I guess that is why today’s phrase is often used as a joke.
Do you think great minds think alike?
See Also: If you catch my drift, hive mind, Don't work hard, work smart.
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Reference:
https://www.helpforwriters.me/etymology-series-history-proverbs/
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/great-minds-think-alike.html
https://windowthroughtime.wordpress.com/tag/origin-of-great-minds-think-alike/
https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/great-minds-do-not-think-alike/