# Source of quote "to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556 "2008-11-13T17:24:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/1 "2008-11-13T17:24:03Z")
I keep seeing this quote or something like it attributed to Mark Twain, but I have not been able to find this in any verified source. Can anyone help with attribution, and also with getting the exact quote? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/2 "2008-11-14T00:36:37Z")
Without trying to search exhaustively, it first appears by Abraham Maslow, _The Psychology of Science (1966)._ ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/3 "2008-11-14T03:23:55Z")
Commonly known as “Maslow’s Hammer”, apparently. I propose **Really All That Bright’s** Law: Anything clever anyone has ever said will eventually be attributed to Mark Twain. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/4 "2008-11-14T03:30:08Z")
Is that the exact quote? I always heard 'If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail". Bob ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/5 "2008-11-14T03:36:21Z")
> [@urban1z](#): > > Is that the exact quote? I always heard 'If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail". > > Bob It’s been recast several times. Here’s the original quote: [QUOTE=Abe Maslow] I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Properties\_of\_Iron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7cd45c/32.png) [@Properties\_of\_Iron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Properties_of_Iron)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/6 "2008-11-14T03:59:42Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Commonly known as “Maslow’s Hammer”, apparently. > > I propose **Really All That Bright’s** Law: Anything clever anyone has ever said will eventually be attributed to Mark Twain. Y’know, I think you stole that idea from Mark Twain. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/7 "2008-11-14T06:58:39Z")
[QUOTE=Abe Maslow] I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail. [/QUOTE] Which is ironic, because it’s also tempting, if the only tool you have is a hierarchy, to treat everything as if it were a need. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/8 "2008-11-14T07:28:13Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > Which is ironic, because it’s also tempting, if the only tool you have is a hierarchy, to treat everything as if it were a need. Oh self transcendent snap! ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/9 "2008-11-14T07:29:01Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > Which is ironic, because it’s also tempting, if the only tool you have is a hierarchy, to treat everything as if it were a need. I’d be all ready to back you up on this, but I’m kinda sleepy, so I’m gonna go take a nap. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/10 "2008-11-14T12:59:52Z")
I asked this same question here a few years back (I have the quote up in my workspace). I got the same answers - no one knows for sure, but Maslow seems like the best bet. My SDMB search powers are weak - anyone else want to see if they can find it. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/11 "2008-11-14T13:35:45Z")
If I had a hammer … I’d hammer in the morning\* \*all together now! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/12 "2008-11-14T14:29:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I propose **Really All That Bright’s** Law: Anything clever anyone has ever said will eventually be attributed to Mark Twain. “I never said most of the things I said.” -Yogi Berra ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/13 "2008-11-14T14:35:51Z")
I wonder if I should include Jefferson somehow. ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/14 "2008-11-14T15:01:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Commonly known as “Maslow’s Hammer”, apparently. Bang, bang, Maslow’s silver hammer came down upon the thread. RR ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/15 "2008-11-14T15:59:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I propose **Really All That Bright’s** Law: Anything clever anyone has ever said will eventually be attributed to Mark Twain. Or Oscar Wilde: > [@](#): > > Oscar Wilde complimented James Whistler on a quip with the words, ‘I wish I’d said that.’ Whistler devastatingly replied, ‘You will, Oscar, you will.’ > **[Oxford Languages](https://languages.oup.com/)** > > The home of language data ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/16 "2008-11-14T16:07:48Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Commonly known as “Maslow’s Hammer”, apparently. > > I propose **Really All That Bright’s** Law: Anything clever anyone has ever said will eventually be attributed to Mark Twain. Actually Bill Gates said that in a college graduation keynote speech. He got it from George Carlin who lifted it from a Ted Nugent article. Glad to help ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/17 "2008-11-14T17:37:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “I never said most of the things I said.” -Yogi Berra I once edited a book of quotations. Nailing down the actual origin of most quotes is a million times more difficult than you might imagine. Even when the quotes appear in print, it’s usually pretty tough to identify the original source. And what’s worse, subsequent mis-attributions muddy the water. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/18 "2008-11-14T18:55:43Z")
thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/19 "2008-11-14T18:56:36Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Actually Bill Gates said that in a college graduation keynote speech. He got it from George Carlin who lifted it from a Ted Nugent article. Nugent, though, was quoting Andy Rooney. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556/20 "2008-11-14T19:00:33Z")
very very [witty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-4UL9_bZFQ). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-quote-to-a-man-with-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/472556.md?page=2)