Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Proverbs 208. The proverb today is " Great
minds think alike. " Okay. Let's take a look at the note here.
If someone says that great minds think alike one is suggesting that intelligent
or smart people tend to come up with the same ideas. Often at the same time. It is
often used in a humorous way. So it's used in a funny way, not in a too serious way,
usually to congratulate someone who thought of the same idea as you.
Ironically, it is most often used with ordinary people congratulating
themselves. So it's not really most often used with people who we think are great
minds like Einstein or something. It's just everyday people and saying yeah,
yeah. You thought of that I thought of that. Great minds. Yeah I have a great mind you
have a great mind. So that's kind of the way it's actually
used. All right. Let's continue. The proverb of this ... the origin of this proverb at
least in this form. In this form means like we had some other ideas that were
similar to this idea but not the same exact wording of like great minds think
alike. So the first time we ever heard this exact wording "Great minds think
alike" this was the case. So the origin of this proverb at least in this form is
believed to come from Karl Theodor von Unlanski. Okay. It was written in a
biography of his life called "The Woful History of the Unfortunate Eudoxia
in 1816. So that's where you know, that's what it started. All right. And let's
let's take a look at some examples. The great military strategist you know, the
two different ones Sun Tzu and Napoleon. Now remember they came from very
different places. Sun Tzu is you know, a Chinese strategist who wrote "The Art of
War and Napoleon lived in the 1700' s. So they're very far apart in age and you
know when they both occurred and the time periods as well,
came up with quotes that nearly express the same idea. And this is the one you
often hear it repeated by many people. And to be honest most often I think
Napoleon gets credit for it " Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. "
Actually though like I've had people because I did a YouTube video on this
explaining this one and it is true that Sun Tzu had really had the same quote.
Actually this might even be more of Sun Tzu's quote. Now that I research it more.
It seems like Napoleon's quote was "Never interrupt your enemy when he is in the
process of destroying himself . The same idea. The same thing. You know, some people might
have questioned well didn't Sun Tzu come up with this idea first ? Yeah, maybe. But
you know it's not like I don't think Napoleon necessarily stole the idea from
Sun Tzu. Is it possible that he could have gotten the Chinese translation of
the war strategy in the 1700's in France. maybe. But probably not likely. So they
they both probably just came up with very similar ideas. So in this sense we
could say it's probably just the case of great minds think alike. You know I don't
think Napoleon actually ripped off Sun Tzu and Sun Tzu was first so you can't
say Sun Tzu ripped off Napoleon. You could try to claim Napoleon robbed you
know Sun Tzu's idea. But it's probably more just the case of great minds think
alike. Let's continue here. When he is in the process of destroying himself. Yeah
This is a literal example of great minds think alike. So, so you could use it this
way in the literal sense. However number 2 ,3 & 4 is probably the
we going to hear it more often. So number 2 here. I was just about to say the same
thing. Great minds think alike. Yeah. I mean you're usually joking. So
meaning like yeah that's the great idea. I have a ... I'm smart, you're smart. Yeah.
Great minds think alike a lot. Yeah. We had the same idea. Or number two here. You took
the words right out of my mouth. Great minds think alike. Yeah again. So
again making a joke. Or number four. I had the same idea as you. Great minds think
alike. So this is ordinary people usually saying this. Kind of good congratulating
themselves in a humorous way. Usually not too serious. I don't think they're,
they're particularly conceited there. They're really more joking than anything
else most of the time. Okay. Anyway I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. I hope it was
informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.