Einstein’s Meme Sits At The End Of A Long Bar

As we all know, this definition of insanity has been attributed to Albert Einstein:

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.

In actual fact, quantum mechanics teaches that different outcomes are always possible, it’s just a matter of probability.

So doing something again and again is not necessarily insane, but knowing when to quit is where the rubber meets the road.

Albert and Robert

This challenge is brilliantly brought to life in The Definition of Insanity, a film about a young actor in NYC struggling to get ahead, without the benefit of a lucky break.

Robert Margolis gives a great performance, in addition to having written and directed this award winning production. He reminds me of a young, modern, updated Woody Allen. (Full disclosure, I’m not Roger Ebert.)

And speaking of luck, here is Michael Caine talking about his own road to success.

“I’ve always thought that life swings on small, sometimes insignificant incidents and decisions. When I got to the theatre at ten the next morning, Cy Endfield, a round, slow-speaking American director, said he was sorry, but he’d already given the part to my friend James Booth, because he thought he looked more Cockney than I did. I was used to rejection by now, so I just shrugged. ‘That’s OK,’ I lied and turned and began to walk back towards the door. The bar at the Prince of Wales Theatre is very long – and that’s why I became a movie star, because just as I reached the end, Cy called out, ‘Can you do a posh British accent?’ I stopped jus before the door and turned round. ‘I was in rep for years,’ I said. ‘I played posh parts many times. There’s no accent I can’t do. That’s easy,’ I said, fingers crossed behind my back. ‘You know,’ said Cy, peering at me down the length of the bar, ‘you don’t look anything like a Cockney. You look like one of those faggy officers. Come back.’ I glanced in the mirror behind the bar. He was right. I was six foot two, slim, with blond carly hair and blue eyes.”                        – Michael Caine, The Elephant To Hollywood