• kadu@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Not a meme, it comes from a thought experiment trying to disprove quantum mechanics. It’s often attributed to Einstein, though that’s very likely not true.

    EDIT: This is wrong.

      • kadu@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Well, digging further it seems like I was wrong, but so are you.

        Rita Mae Brown’s quote is not the earliest example of it being used, so it’s certainly not the origin. Though the misattribution to Einstein was adapted into the quantum argument I knew about. Both are not the earliest mentions of the quote, and the exact origin is debated.

          • kadu@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            7
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            1 year ago

            What an overly aggressive reply. But sure, let’s play.

            Would you look at this, a 1981 Narcotics Anonymous pamphlet that contains the exact quote: “[…] Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.”

            Hmm… 1981… But the book was released in 1983… But your previous comment so eloquently said I’m totally wrong, so you’ve just proven time machines exist! How cool! Einstein would be proud!