Simply quotable
I ran across this pretty great quote about simplicity:
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
It’s a powerful truism, something to which any of us who believe in simplicity can relate.
It was attributed to a famous German physicist. Immediately, I wanted to share it, but something made me question the attribution.
When I discovered it might have instead been a quote from a less famous (but still German) economist, E.F. Schumacher, I was less interested in sharing it.
The words are no less powerful. Or are they?
The physicist was, of course, Albert Einstein. His name has become a shortcut to communicate importance. So, even if it was Schmacher’s words, Einstein seems to have played an integral role in making their meaning.
Ouch- economists get a bad rap, probably due to their relative proximity to accountants.
Great quote, and something I bump regularly with number guys when designing processes. “Just one more thing” is all too common.
Thanks for sharing this.