# Intelligence/genius has limits. Stupidity knows no bounds. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007 "2012-05-15T18:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/1 "2012-05-15T18:51:44Z")
I had the bright idea to put those two sentences together, but before I laid claim to being a great wit I figured I’d check if someone had had the same idea, and they had. Now my google search of simply the words “has limits knows no bounds” showed a few hits for “Intelligence has”, and “Genius has”, but what I’m wondering now is if someone with greater search skills could say something about how old this “saying” is, and if it can be traced as a particular quote, or if it’s just to obvious to be said to have originated with any single person. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/2 "2012-05-15T18:54:52Z")
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” attributed to Einstein, but the quote detective thinks he probably didn’t say it. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/3 "2012-05-15T19:02:43Z")
that is, the [Quote Investigator] ([Two Things Are Infinite: the Universe and Human Stupidity – Quote Investigator®](http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/04/universe-einstein/#more-173)) thinks he didn’t say it. Anyway, your _bon mot_ makes me think of that joke immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/4 "2012-05-15T19:21:39Z")
I’ve heard many variations of it, most of which I’ve seen attributed to Einstein. The version I’m most familiar with is “The difference between genius and stupidity is genius has it’s limits.” but I’ve also heard the version that **bup** said. I’d go with the idea that, even if you don’t recall hearing it, I wouldn’t think you could take credit for it. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/5 "2012-05-15T19:26:19Z")
Reminds me of the saying about “It’s impossible to make things idiot-proof because idiots can be so clever…” ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/6 "2012-05-15T20:53:47Z")
The version I’ve seen is something like “Just when you succeed in idiot-proofing something, they build a better class of idiot.” ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligence-genius-has-limits-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/622007/7 "2012-05-16T02:57:58Z")
I prefer “Nothing is idiot-proof to a sufficiently ingenious idiot.”