There is a popular phrase on the Internet allegedly said by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate in relation to narrow-minded people. We checked whether its author is indeed Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov.

The full quote reads like this: “Giant biological energy matures in a fool. He is not overcome by either conscience or doubts. His pride is immense, morality is unknown to him. He can do anything; the fool is especially attracted by the passion for destruction, for remaking the world.”

In this form, a statement signed by the famous physicist and human rights activist is very popular on social networks (Facebook - 16,000 And 1700 reposts in the spring of 2022, VKontakte - 8100 views, Twitter - approx. 1500 retweets). In some sources it also contains the sentence “A “cultured,” “educated” fool, relying on knowledge and authority, is especially dangerous, even scary.” On the website Livelib.ru The original source of the phrase is even indicated - Andrei Sakharov’s book “Anxiety and Hope.”

The easiest way would be to find a quote from Sakharov in the above-mentioned collection "Anxiety and Hope", compiled by the widow of the human rights activist Elena Bonner in 1990 and containing the main socio-political works of Andrei Dmitrievich. However, there is nothing similar there. As in other publications dedicated to Sakharov.

Interesting point: on Livelib.ru Sakharov’s quote ends with the words: “I think that the world will be destroyed by “cultural idiots” like the physicist Sakharov.” Could Andrei Dmitrievich himself express himself this way? Considering the previous maxims, it’s unlikely, because they show a tinge of contempt, and not at all self-irony.

And yet, there is a printed publication in which we can see the above quote, and in full, with a mention of the physicist Sakharov. We are talking about the book “Music as Destiny” - diaries the famous composer Georgy Sviridov, author of the suite “Time, Forward” and the waltz for the film “Blizzard”. Record with this quote dated January 12, 1990, less than a month after Sakharov's death. And this is not the only example of the composer’s hostile attitude towards the human rights activist. So, in somewhere else he writes that the “information machine” is “a satanic weapon, a “peaceful” hydrogen bomb like a product <…> Sakharov, elevated almost to sainthood.” In another records Sviridov also calls the human rights activist “Dr. Sakharov, the inventor of the monstrous hydrogen bomb.”

Thus, the real author of the quote in question is composer Georgy Sviridov. And it was attributed to Andrei Sakharov, apparently by mistake - due to the mention at the end of the name of the human rights activist and scientist himself.

Cover image: Wikipedia.