So You Want to be a Genius?
Have you seen the remake of the film West Side Story? I recently did. Unlike most ardent fans—those individuals who pride themselves in having seen the original 1957 Broadway and/or the first film version at least 30 times—I can only claim one previous viewing. And then, it was just the movie. After seeing the film credits at the end last month, what stood out to me was the collaboration between so many gifted, creative individuals. The question which stuck in my mind was this: Were these geniuses or rather just people of extraordinary artistic talent? How do you distinguish between the two?
A Plethora of Genisus
Another question I couldn’t let go of was what did the original creators of the show have in common? We are talking about the likes of playwright Aurthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein who conceived the musical score, Steven Sondheim the lyrics and Gerome Robbins, the choreography. Fast forward and now add on to this layer of brilliant minds the next generation of talent with Steven Spielberg who produced the latest rendition of West Side Story plus the dance wunderkind, Justin Peck, who updated the choreography.
Whether or not all or just some of these men were creative geniuses, I have no way of knowing. But it did spark a conversation among friends as to how would they describe a genius and who would their first choice be for this distinction? In other words, their favorite genius.
A High IQ does not a Genius Make
Let’s start with some basic premises in this discussion. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a genius is someone with an IQ of 140 or higher. However, being smart does not automatically make you a genius. There is much more involved than mere brains.
Another definition of being a genius is that you need to have an exceptional achievement attached to your name. The title is reserved for people who have come up with ideas or produced things which are both original and have a profound effect on the lives of others. Let’s take a classic example: the Scottish-born inventor, scientist, and engineer Alexander Gram Bell who invented the telephone in 1876. Can you imagine your life now without a phone? Is he not an indisputable genius?
A Roster of Genius Icons
Other geniuses who easily come to mind are Isaac Newton; Galileo Galilei; William Shakespeare; Marie Curie; Jane Goodall; Stephen Hawking; Steve Jobs; Bill Gates; and my all-time favorite, Leonardo da Vinci. We all know he painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, both artistic masterpieces. But his genius was far more diverse than a remarkable understanding of perspective and knowing how to handle a paint brush! Leonardo da Vinci, the epitome of a Renaissance man, was also a pioneer in anatomy and engineering including hydrodynamics. No one can question that Leonardo was ahead of his time as his ingenious, visionary inventions—such as the flying machine, the parachute, and instruments of war including the tank—would not be realized for centuries.
What Makes Geniuses Different from the Rest of Us?
So, what are some of the most common attributes which separate out smart people from geniuses? For starters, geniuses have an insatiable curiosity. Unlike the rest of us who might become intrigued with a topic but then, eventually lose interest, geniuses are consistently passionate and unrelenting about their exploration. This is true even when faced with setbacks. Geniuses look at their subject in ways we could never envision. Further, their open mindedness and flexibility encourage them to consider alternative perspectives and not just accept things on face value as we might.
Other traits amongst geniuses include being hard working and having high levels of self-control. This manifests itself in allowing them to be excessively well organized and methodical, sometimes to a point of being obsessive. It should come as no surprise, then, that people of extreme intelligence and talent often keep very late hours!
Einstein’s My Man!
Let’s have a quick look at some of the favorite geniuses my friends selected. Joan Ross, former CPA, chose Albert Einstein. While she admittedly had a hard time describing why, she divulged that “I have a book called E=mc2 (squared) and there's a great quote by Einstein on the flyleaf: ‘The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.’ I think that's what makes him a true genius. He was always looking at the big picture, incorporating science, art, and philosophy in his hypotheses.”
Wine marketing guru Lila Gault described a genius as someone who is “a very talented with a rare level of intelligence. In my judgment,” Lila continued, “He/she also possesses the foresight and commitment to use that ability to do something extraordinary. “
Sidney Poitier, A Man for all Seasons
With a shoutout to NYT culture critic Wesley Morris and his recent segment on “The Daily,” the popular podcast amplification of current Times stories, Lila put Sidney Poitier at the top of her personal list of geniuses. Here’s why as recounted by Lila.
“Born into a family of tomato farmers in the Bahamas, Poitier spent his teen years in Jim Crow Miami with an older brother and his family. Hating Florida, he made his way to New York, where despite having no money, no friends, and no relevant experience, he answered a call for auditions at the American Negro Theatre. Although quickly dismissed because he literally couldn’t read, Poitier was totally mesmerized by this new world and offered to volunteer as a maintenance man in exchange for watching rehearsals and productions and learning the actor’s craft.
“In his essay, Morris contends that Poitier is the greatest American movie star - full stop. ‘His legacy is so much wider and deeper than the art itself,’ he explains. ‘This man has managed to affect what we see, how we relate to people, who we think we are, who we should aspire to be.’
“As I think about that bold statement and look at Poitier’s remarkable career both on and off the screen, I have to agree. His genius was the work, taking full measure of the early civil rights era to play great roles that transcended the color barrier. There was not one obsequious, servile character for him. The slap he gave racist plantation owner in The Heat of the Night, the perfect son-in-law to be in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, his Best Actor Oscar for building a church for German nuns in Lilies of the Field were but three of the many legendary roles in his 60-year career.
“Poitier's genius was evident in his artistic success, but even more so in his opening the door for all African American actors who followed. They were no longer black actors, just simply actors.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Notorious and Genius
Executive career coach Jane Beale selected Ruth Bader Ginsburg as her top choice for genius. Here’s why RBG made the list. “She attended law school while a wife and mother. One of few women accepted into Columbia law school, she graduated 1st in her class. While there, she worked on the school’s Project on International Procedure. She learned Swedish and co-authored a book with a Swedish jurist. She then became a Professor of Law at Rutgers University and was very involved in pro bono work for various causes, including being on the Board of the ACLU.
“Justice Ginsburg was passionate about equality for women and people of color. She was only the second woman on the Supreme Court, where she was part of the liberal arm of a Court that was becoming progressively more right-wing. She made a huge impact in so many ways and worked brilliantly till the end of her life.”
A Pharmaceutical Genius
Jane’s husband, John Seidler—Prague-born international businessman—selected a lesser-known public figure as his genius-of-choice. “Dr. Paul Janssen, who discovered more new drugs than anyone in history - like Imodium, Lomotil, Fentanyl, Diflucan and many others.” In fact, this Belgian-born pharmacist coined over 100 patents and developed dozens of life-changing medications.
According to John, Dr. Janssen sold his company to J&J and became their second biggest shareholder after the McNeils of Tylenol fame. For several years John travelled internationally with Dr. Janseen getting to observe him firsthand. As John tells the story, “On one occasion when he (Janseen) was in his 50s, he was also accompanied by a young colleague in his 20s. When I returned from the duty-free area, I found that they were playing chess in their heads without a board. At the 15th move the young colleague gave up!”
Taking a Page out of the Genius Playbook
Whether geniuses are born or made—Nature or nurture—continues to elude most of us. One thing for sure is that some of their attributes can be successfully integrated into our own daily lives. For example: Being hard-working and inquisitive; thinking outside the box; not being discouraged when things don’t go as planned; and learning to look at life and everything around us with fresh, non-judgmental, relentlessly curious eyes. Even if you and I never invent something extraordinary which will change the world, we can liberally pick and use those qualities we admire most of geniuses.
However, remember, too, the flip side of the genius coin. These gifted people are also frequently obsessive and self-centered. Jerks. Madmen. Socially inept individuals. As the 19th century French writer and literary critic Edmond de Goncourt once said, “Almost no one loves the genius until he or she is dead.”