“Even if we accept, as the basic tenet of true democracy, that one moron is equal to one genius, is it necessary to go a further step and hold that two morons are better than one genius?”

As quoted in "Some Szilardisms on War, Fame, Peace", LIFE‎ magazine, Vol. 51, no. 9 (1 September 1961), p. 79
The Voice of the Dolphins : And Other Stories (1961)
Variant: I'm all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone takes the next step and concludes that two idiots are better than one genius.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Even if we accept, as the basic tenet of true democracy, that one moron is equal to one genius, is it necessary to go a…" by Leó Szilárd?
Leó Szilárd photo
Leó Szilárd 17
Physicist and biologist 1898–1964

Related quotes

Ayn Rand photo

“A genius is a genius, regardless of the number of morons who belong to the same race—and a moron is a moron, regardless of the number of geniuses who share his racial origin.”

Ayn Rand (1905–1982) Russian-American novelist and philosopher

http://alexpeak.com/twr/racism/
The Virtue of Selfishness (1964)
Source: The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism

Derek Landy photo
Jay Samit photo

“An average idea enthusiastically embraced will go further than a genius idea no one gets.”

Jay Samit (1961) American businessman

Source: Disrupt You! (2015), p.93

Frederik Pohl photo
Franz Kafka photo

“…it is not necessary to accept everything as true, one must only accept it as necessary.”

'A melancholy conclusion,' said K. 'It turns lying into a universal principle.In the Cathedral
Source: The Trial (1920), Chapter 9

Vladimir Nabokov photo
Otto Weininger photo
Simone de Beauvoir photo

“One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.”

Bk. I, Pt. 2, Ch. 8: Since the French Revolution: the Job and the Vote, p. 133
Source: The Second Sex (1949)

Related topics