Warning: lighthearted yammering about etymology ahead 🤓
The earliest instance of the proverb in its present form seems be from 1898:-
“Curious how great minds think alike. My pupil wrote me the same explanation about his non-appearance.”
[1898 C. G. Robertson Voces Academicae]
The eraliest version of it at all seems to be from 1618 when D. Belchier wrote
“Though he made that verse, Those words were made before. Good wits doe jumpe.”
[1618 D. Belchier Hans Beer-Pot ] ( The word jump used in the sense of ‘agree completely’ or ‘coincide’ is now archaic.)
A few years back a list of “real quotes that means something different than people think they do” went around. That contained the “fools seldom differ” line and it seems to have taken off from there. I’m sure it was used earlier, but didn’t find an origin.
Is this Gain?
Angry upvote
Fuuuuck you beat me to it
Sorry for your loss
Same. The exact sentence.
Now I must start WW3.
I too had the same thought. I would say great minds think alike, but I’m dumb as shit
In Germany we say “Zwei Dumme, ein Gedanke” (two stupid people, one thought)
I’ve got good news! The full quote is “Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ.”
So it can still apply to you, it just means you’re calling OP a fool too 😄
Warning: lighthearted yammering about etymology ahead 🤓
A few years back a list of “real quotes that means something different than people think they do” went around. That contained the “fools seldom differ” line and it seems to have taken off from there. I’m sure it was used earlier, but didn’t find an origin.