The term seems to be thrown around a lot to me. My question is what exactly makes someone a genius. I'll start my examples. Vincent Van Gogh was considered a genius. He made $109 dollars in his lifetime off his paintings and had to have help from his brother to live. He also committed suicide at 37 from gun shot. Don't you think there is a awful lot of people out there that have made at least $109 dollars in there lifetime? I doubt they are all considered a genius.
If Edgar Allan Poe was a genius why would he spend his last days wandering down the streets of Baltimore looking for medical attention?
How about Socrates he never worked a job. He by his own admission said the only occupation he saw worth while was discussing his philosophies with people he met. He died penniless as well.
It is actually a fact most geniuses die poor and don't live up to there potential which doesn't buy into the whole education argument. Most have trouble holding jobs if they are employed.
I can give other examples but i will quit there. What makes someone a genius is cloudy to me. Someone that made 109 dollars in there entire lifetime is a genius? I understand you can't go by money because there is corruption in the system. Someone that doesn't think working or holding a job is important is considered a genius? Someone that wanders down the street looking for medical attention is a genius?
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The term seems to be thrown around a lot to me. My question is what exactly makes someone a genius. I'll start my examples. Vincent Van Gogh was considered a genius. He made $109 dollars in his lifetime off his paintings and had to have help from his brother to live. He also committed suicide at 37 from gun shot. Don't you think there is a awful lot of people out there that have made at least $109 dollars in there lifetime? I doubt they are all considered a genius.
If Edgar Allan Poe was a genius why would he spend his last days wandering down the streets of Baltimore looking for medical attention?
How about Socrates he never worked a job. He by his own admission said the only occupation he saw worth while was discussing his philosophies with people he met. He died penniless as well.
It is actually a fact most geniuses die poor and don't live up to there potential which doesn't buy into the whole education argument. Most have trouble holding jobs if they are employed.
I can give other examples but i will quit there. What makes someone a genius is cloudy to me. Someone that made 109 dollars in there entire lifetime is a genius? I understand you can't go by money because there is corruption in the system. Someone that doesn't think working or holding a job is important is considered a genius? Someone that wanders down the street looking for medical attention is a genius?
Money has very little to do with it. Some people are geniuses at certain things that don't always translate to money, or money is not a priority for them. For example, Van Gogh's genius (talent) has certainly generated more than $109 now. With the talent he had a genius for, you usually have to be dead for it to be truly appreciated. I know a lot of people that are not particularly bright, as far as book sense, but make bunches of money. They have all sorts of things going on with businesses, hustles, etc. to make money from lots of things. But their drive is money or entrepreneur-type stuff. And a lot of people are one-trick pony geniuses. Maybe they can only paint or compose; but not so able to do something else that would generate a lot of income so well. Even an Einstein, Tesla, Edison, or da Vinci didn't do things that generated fortunes---but everyone acknowledges them as geniuses.
Then some that make fortunes like Gates, Rockefeller, or Buffet are for sure smart and good at what they do --- but not really seen as geniuses. They just happened to be very good at a niche area that makes money as opposed to an art or study or inventions. Etc.
The ones that are interesting to me are the ones like da Vinci that are renaissance-type guys --- pretty much well-rounded geniuses in many areas.
They tell me a child can basically be a prodigy in three areas. The issue is none of them really translate to money. But the kids are pure geniuses. Certainly the path they choose later in life may not reflect it with money. But just in conversation you can just tell a difference in them and the way they think. They just instinctually know things and are more interested in learning about things more than the average person is.
I happened to have had a job where I had the occasion to work around or with outright brilliant and elite people in a lot of different fields. It is just amazing how they operate. The majority of them also have many interests that span a wide range of topics/areas. I always encourage someone, if they have an opportunity to watch an expert in their chosen field work---do it.
So, a smart and well-diversified expert in their field is why I think of as a genius. But for sure there are geniuses that are mainly into one subject.
A lot more to it than just IQ or making money to me. Although if some of these guys cared about just making more and more money---I'm sure they could do it.
Money has very little to do with it. Some people are geniuses at certain things that don't always translate to money, or money is not a priority for them. For example, Van Gogh's genius (talent) has certainly generated more than $109 now. With the talent he had a genius for, you usually have to be dead for it to be truly appreciated. I know a lot of people that are not particularly bright, as far as book sense, but make bunches of money. They have all sorts of things going on with businesses, hustles, etc. to make money from lots of things. But their drive is money or entrepreneur-type stuff. And a lot of people are one-trick pony geniuses. Maybe they can only paint or compose; but not so able to do something else that would generate a lot of income so well. Even an Einstein, Tesla, Edison, or da Vinci didn't do things that generated fortunes---but everyone acknowledges them as geniuses.
Then some that make fortunes like Gates, Rockefeller, or Buffet are for sure smart and good at what they do --- but not really seen as geniuses. They just happened to be very good at a niche area that makes money as opposed to an art or study or inventions. Etc.
The ones that are interesting to me are the ones like da Vinci that are renaissance-type guys --- pretty much well-rounded geniuses in many areas.
They tell me a child can basically be a prodigy in three areas. The issue is none of them really translate to money. But the kids are pure geniuses. Certainly the path they choose later in life may not reflect it with money. But just in conversation you can just tell a difference in them and the way they think. They just instinctually know things and are more interested in learning about things more than the average person is.
I happened to have had a job where I had the occasion to work around or with outright brilliant and elite people in a lot of different fields. It is just amazing how they operate. The majority of them also have many interests that span a wide range of topics/areas. I always encourage someone, if they have an opportunity to watch an expert in their chosen field work---do it.
So, a smart and well-diversified expert in their field is why I think of as a genius. But for sure there are geniuses that are mainly into one subject.
A lot more to it than just IQ or making money to me. Although if some of these guys cared about just making more and more money---I'm sure they could do it.
A genius is someone who surpasses his peers. That is why it is common for a genius to not be appreciated when he is alive. It takes time for regular people to "catch up" to what the genius was doing.
That is why popular artists, writers, musicians, etc fade away, and people like the one's you listed are basically immortal.
And making money more often than not comes down to greed, conniving, unethical behavior and luck. Is a guy who buys a winning lottery ticket more of a genius than Einstein?
A genius is someone who surpasses his peers. That is why it is common for a genius to not be appreciated when he is alive. It takes time for regular people to "catch up" to what the genius was doing.
That is why popular artists, writers, musicians, etc fade away, and people like the one's you listed are basically immortal.
And making money more often than not comes down to greed, conniving, unethical behavior and luck. Is a guy who buys a winning lottery ticket more of a genius than Einstein?
And making money more often than not comes down to greed, conniving, unethical behavior and luck. Is a guy who buys a winning lottery ticket more of a genius than Einstein?
This is a tad jaded. I know some that are geniuses at making money. They are not unethical at all. This just happens to be their thing they are good at. Start businesses, buying properties, and investing. Etc. There are always unethical people in all areas. There have been some geniuses with inventions, etc. --- stole inventions, claimed others work and all. You will always have that in every area.
Quote Originally Posted by thorpe:
And making money more often than not comes down to greed, conniving, unethical behavior and luck. Is a guy who buys a winning lottery ticket more of a genius than Einstein?
This is a tad jaded. I know some that are geniuses at making money. They are not unethical at all. This just happens to be their thing they are good at. Start businesses, buying properties, and investing. Etc. There are always unethical people in all areas. There have been some geniuses with inventions, etc. --- stole inventions, claimed others work and all. You will always have that in every area.
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