What did Albert Einstein mean by 'Nothing happens until something moves'?

[James William Hall]

Albert Einstein said, "Nothing happens until something moves. When something vibrates, the electrons of the entire universe resonate with it." I'm reasonably sure that's hyperbole so what was his point?

 

[russ_watters]

Albert Einstein said, "Nothing happens until something moves. When something vibrates, the electrons of the entire universe resonate with it." I'm reasonably sure that's hyperbole so what was his point?

Doesn't look like hyperbole to me (though it seems to lack context). What exactly is your issue with it?

 

[James William Hall]

Other than it can't be tested I don't have an issue. My point was, does anyone know what his point was?

 

[Haborix]

Do you happen to know the source for the quote? I did a quick Google search and couldn't find it. People rarely proclaim a sentence or two and leave it at that---context would help. The quote is sufficiently woowoo that you could read all kinds of meaning into it.

 

[James William Hall]

I saw it here: https://www.quotetab.com/quote/by-A...ng-vibrates-the-electrons-of?source=electrons. Context would help, I agree. I had assumed that the quote would have been known to many here but perhaps not.

 

[Vanadium 50]

That's not really a reference. It's just prettier.

To paraphrase Lawrence Peter Berra, "Einstein didn't say all the things he said."

 

[DaveC426913]

If it's a misattribution, it's a pretty widely-believed one.
https://www.google.com/search?q=quote+Nothing+happens+until+something+moves

On the other hand:

' “Nothing happens until something moves” is sometimes credited to the physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955). However, these citations began to appear in the 2000s and there is no evidence that Einstein said this.'
https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/nothing_happens_until_something_moves

 

[Hornbein]

"I did not say this." -- Albert Einstein

 

[Ivan Seeking]

"Don't believe everything you read on the internet!" - Albert Einstein

 

[gmax137]

"Don't believe everything you read on the internet!" - Albert Einstein

I think Abraham Lincoln said that...

 

[Vanadium 50]

I think Abraham Lincoln said that...

In the original Klingon.

 

[Jarvis323]

This kind of quote is typically used as a marketing tool for businesses or cults based on new age spiritualism or mysticism. There is a popular cult (or brand of new age mysticism) based in the town of Shasta CA, for example, where masters of their cult are claimed to be able to raise their vibrations to the point they ascend, vanish and become one with the universe. They have crystal shops everywhere, and the sign outside reads that the crystal chooses you. People meditate trying to synchronize the resination of their atoms with the crystal. The last time I was there, a person outside the coffee shot was resonating with a tree.

 

[Hornbein]

"If nothing is moving, then nothing is happening." -- Kurt Kobaine

 

[symbolipoint]

Albert Einstein said, "Nothing happens until something moves. When something vibrates, the electrons of the entire universe resonate with it." I'm reasonably sure that's hyperbole so what was his point?

A little time to think about the quotation is needed, plus some life experience and imagination.

A good interpretation is, you can think and talk all you want but nothing useful happens until somebody actually takes some action. Or, "Stop talking , and get busy!"

 

[symbolipoint]

I am not sure if the physicsforums system will allow the kind of vocabulary I wish to use here, but the quote can mean equivalently, "If you want some results, then get up and move your ass!"

 

[PeroK]

The last time I was there, a person outside the coffee shot was resonating with a tree.

It's better to resonate with a tree, than destroy the rainforests, if you ask me.

 

[jbriggs444]

It's better to resonate with a tree, than destroy the rainforests, if you ask me.

I tried to resinate with a pine tree once. Took forever to get cleaned up.

 

[Haborix]

I tried to resinate with a pine tree once. Took forever to get cleaned up.

Too good!