My father read us myths and fairy tales from all over the world, including stories from so-called “tribal cultures” as well as the more literary collections from major world civilizations and ancient civilizations. We were also immersed in hands-on science and natural history and in comparative religion. I believe I was programmed to be a folklorist from the cradle.
Fascinating post! Brittany and I actually have this quote on a canvas on our wall, and now I’ll be a bit better prepared when guests come over, see it, and say “but did Einstein REALLY say that?” (My response will be “Folklore suggests so!”)
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! “It is impossible to underrate human intelligence–beginning with one’s own.” by Henry Adams.
What i don’t realize is actually how you’re not really a lot more smartly-appreciated than you might be now. You are very intelligent. You understand therefore considerably in terms of this subject, produced me personally believe it from numerous various angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated except it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs great. All the time handle it up!
Thanks for including my book, “Learning Together With Children. My opinion on this matter is that oral stories began the expanse of the brain as part of our evolution. My husband and I have visited many of the caves of especially France. There will be a setting deep in a cave that gives way to an imagined notion of a storyteller telling a story. So this process includes all types of learning. I think Einstein felt himself to be part of our common, collective thought. I move on from this first book for parents to “Thinking Together With Children.” Parents are so important to the development of the child’s desire to learn more. Eventually this skill becomes critical thinking for a lifetime.
Thanks, Heather, I did see that post! There are clues that it’s not a true story, both internal and contextual. Internal to the story, Einstein did not teach at Princeton University, he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, which is located in Princeton, New Jersey, but not part of Princeton University. It is not a teaching institution, so he did pure research and taught no regular courses. (Of course, Jack might retort that “Jaky” wouldn’t have known that!)
The contextual evidence is that Jack has told the story several times, with Einstein in different times and places, including the version with which I end my blog post. Yet “Jaky” and his mom were somehow never part of the tale until 2017!
All this made me pretty much sure Jack’s post was facetious. And now I don’t have to speculate anymore. I saw Jack this past Friday and asked him about it. It is indeed completely made up, but he plans to keep up the ruse just as a sort of practical joke. It puts me in an uncomfortable position, since I am already on the record with a history of the story, and I don’t like to say he’s not telling the truth. So, if you hear Jack tell this story at a talk for his upcoming book, don’t call him out. Instead, go talk to him at the book-signing table and tell him privately that you’re in on the joke!
I heard about this quote in Wayne Dyer’s speech! So decided to research as I have an eighteen months old grandson. Regardless of the exact facts of the story, I am definitely going to tell him the fairy tales after fairy tales and even more fairy tales…! I do not think there is any better way to develop children’s imagination in today’s social media-controlled world!
Thanks for your efforts and a trip to the Adams Building!
Moe Asch maintained on numerous occasions that encouragement from Albert Einstein in 1940 was the impetus in Asch’s founding of Folkways records — to save the imperiled folklore of European Jews and incidentally that of the whole world. See Peter D. Goldsmith’s bio of Asch “Making People’s Music” (Great book BTW), among other sources. Einstein was a friend, or at least an acquaintance of Asch’s father, playwright Sholem Asch.
I assess all quotes in light of my own experience and keeping an open mind. Even if Einstein (or anybody else) says a thing does not make it “true” for me….unless it works for me!
I heard Jack Zipes talk about this this week. He told the story in the 3rd person, and then Michael Rosen pointed out that the story actually featured Jack himself as a 6 year old, and it was his grandmother who had asked Einstein the question. This was confirmed by Jack.
Yes, see the previous comments. Jack is having fun with his audiences but among folklorists he admits the truth. I have spoken personally with him and he has privately confirmed it’s not true.
Comments (18)
My father read us myths and fairy tales from all over the world, including stories from so-called “tribal cultures” as well as the more literary collections from major world civilizations and ancient civilizations. We were also immersed in hands-on science and natural history and in comparative religion. I believe I was programmed to be a folklorist from the cradle.
Fascinating post! Brittany and I actually have this quote on a canvas on our wall, and now I’ll be a bit better prepared when guests come over, see it, and say “but did Einstein REALLY say that?” (My response will be “Folklore suggests so!”)
Fascinating, and a second chapter masthead in Das Nerdal with a quote attributed to but never given near as I can tell.
The other is “It’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into!” O Hardy.
Yours
Ed Wilson
Thanks for clarifying the uncertainty of the origins!
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! “It is impossible to underrate human intelligence–beginning with one’s own.” by Henry Adams.
What i don’t realize is actually how you’re not really a lot more smartly-appreciated than you might be now. You are very intelligent. You understand therefore considerably in terms of this subject, produced me personally believe it from numerous various angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated except it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs great. All the time handle it up!
Thank you for the search into the genesis of what I thought of as a quoted Pro – fairytales by Zipes.
Thanks for including my book, “Learning Together With Children. My opinion on this matter is that oral stories began the expanse of the brain as part of our evolution. My husband and I have visited many of the caves of especially France. There will be a setting deep in a cave that gives way to an imagined notion of a storyteller telling a story. So this process includes all types of learning. I think Einstein felt himself to be part of our common, collective thought. I move on from this first book for parents to “Thinking Together With Children.” Parents are so important to the development of the child’s desire to learn more. Eventually this skill becomes critical thinking for a lifetime.
In this blog post Jack Zipes goes so far to say that Einstein said that to his grandma, and that *he* was the boy who wanted to be a scientist! http://www.uminnpressblog.com/2017/10/discovering-fairy-tale-postcards.html
Thanks, Heather, I did see that post! There are clues that it’s not a true story, both internal and contextual. Internal to the story, Einstein did not teach at Princeton University, he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, which is located in Princeton, New Jersey, but not part of Princeton University. It is not a teaching institution, so he did pure research and taught no regular courses. (Of course, Jack might retort that “Jaky” wouldn’t have known that!)
The contextual evidence is that Jack has told the story several times, with Einstein in different times and places, including the version with which I end my blog post. Yet “Jaky” and his mom were somehow never part of the tale until 2017!
All this made me pretty much sure Jack’s post was facetious. And now I don’t have to speculate anymore. I saw Jack this past Friday and asked him about it. It is indeed completely made up, but he plans to keep up the ruse just as a sort of practical joke. It puts me in an uncomfortable position, since I am already on the record with a history of the story, and I don’t like to say he’s not telling the truth. So, if you hear Jack tell this story at a talk for his upcoming book, don’t call him out. Instead, go talk to him at the book-signing table and tell him privately that you’re in on the joke!
Thanks for sharing
I heard about this quote in Wayne Dyer’s speech! So decided to research as I have an eighteen months old grandson. Regardless of the exact facts of the story, I am definitely going to tell him the fairy tales after fairy tales and even more fairy tales…! I do not think there is any better way to develop children’s imagination in today’s social media-controlled world!
Thanks for your efforts and a trip to the Adams Building!
Moe Asch maintained on numerous occasions that encouragement from Albert Einstein in 1940 was the impetus in Asch’s founding of Folkways records — to save the imperiled folklore of European Jews and incidentally that of the whole world. See Peter D. Goldsmith’s bio of Asch “Making People’s Music” (Great book BTW), among other sources. Einstein was a friend, or at least an acquaintance of Asch’s father, playwright Sholem Asch.
Thanks for that additional fascinating connection between Einstein and folklore!
Fairy Tales = fiction
Does religion qualify as fairy tales?
Do animals other than human vision/imagine fairy tales?
Faith = not fiction
so that faith and fairy tales is oxymoron
and we will never be able to answer
Does religion qualify as fairy tales?
I assess all quotes in light of my own experience and keeping an open mind. Even if Einstein (or anybody else) says a thing does not make it “true” for me….unless it works for me!
I heard Jack Zipes talk about this this week. He told the story in the 3rd person, and then Michael Rosen pointed out that the story actually featured Jack himself as a 6 year old, and it was his grandmother who had asked Einstein the question. This was confirmed by Jack.
Yes, see the previous comments. Jack is having fun with his audiences but among folklorists he admits the truth. I have spoken personally with him and he has privately confirmed it’s not true.