This is one of the smartest phrases I ever heard, uttered by the one and only Malcolm Gladwell, of “Tipping Point” fame.
There is so many levels to it.
With his sharp power of analogy, and his uncanny ability to make the obscure obvious, Malcolm is definitely one smart cookie.
He said, speaking of his friend Adam Grant, “I’d steal his ideas, because he’s smarter than me, and it would be foolish for me to use my own ideas instead”. That in itself is a riddle.
If Grant is so smart, then he has the best ideas. That would mean he would be smarter than Malcolm. But Malcolm is so smart, that he uses Grant’s ideas instead of his own. That would mean that Malcolm is even smarter.
It’s so Malcolm. It is a compliment to a friend, but it is also a humble-brag, a riddle, and a sample of his mind-twisting humor.
Here’s for Malcolm and his burly hair!