Insane Geniuses

So, I was thinking about the nature of genius and insanity.  We've all heard that there's a fine line between these two. 
 
Some have said that the only difference between them is success.  The majority of humanity, the mob, work desparately to fit in with society while the outliers imagine something different.  Those who manage to impress upon the masses the need to change society to a new norm are labled as "Geniuses" while others are labled as "Insane". 
 
Others reject this idea and say that medical evidence has demonstrated that Schizotypes use their right brain more than other test subjects in a control group.  The suggestion is that some people (with greater communication between right and left brain) exhibit both creativity and some measure of "aberrant behavior".
 
I've read that genius itself is considered mad because it is something different from the norm.  On the other hand, there are real problems for those who suffer from various mental illnesses.  For those whose perception of reality is impaired, the world is a terrifying place.
 
Perhaps the real difference between genius and insanity lies not with our perceptions of whether or not the subjects contributions to our society are successful.  Perhaps these two are not two sides of the same coin where you can't have one without the other.    Perhaps the confusion lies in our definitions.
 
J. E. B. Lindesay (no, I don't know who that is, but how can you not trust someone whose first and middle initials spell "Jeb"?) said that, "The greatest obstacle to our understanding, however, is probably due to the fact that 'the genius' is a cultural artifact and a social role.  Our modern stereotype dervies largely from the nineteenth century when 'the artist' was allowed, even expected, to take a marginal stance in respect to the society in which he lived.  This has had various effects: it has allied genius with other marginal groups (such as madmen and radicals) so encouraging their identification.  It has made the role of genius an attractive alternative for less exalted marginals, and it has fostered bohemian norms of behaviour in creative people - artists, like everyone else, behave as they are expected to.  More generally, so far as the observers of creativity are concerned, this formulation of what constitutes genius has led to the development of an aesthetic in which someone may be valued as much for his insanity as for his creations."
 
I find his statement fascinating.  I'm not saying he's right, only thought provoking.  I can see his point.  On the other hand, I like Bohemian Rhapsody, bizarre stories of eccentric artists, and watching Bapu's antics. 
 
Human beings match patterns.  We do it all day long.  We see a glimpse of an image, and we complete the pattern in our minds.  We hear a snatch of conversation, and we fill in the blanks.  We see miniscule bits of data, and we string them together to form complex patterns.  Perhaps the difference between genius and insanity lies in the ability to intuitively bring otherwise chaotic, random elements together to form a pattern.  Those who can successfuly show us new patterns we've never seen before are labled as geniuses.  Those who fail to form these patterns, who fail to recognize the patterns the rest of us perceive with ease, are labled as insane.  That's simplistic, I know.  (It's also not necessarily correct.  I just wanted to warn you in case you thought that I knew something.)
 
Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert cartoons, has a character who is a genius and works as a garbageman.  He was once questioned about why such a genius character chooses to works as a garbageman, and stated that the joke is that we cannot really question the garbageman's career choice, since HE is smarter than we.  Maybe this is why we cannot question why Bapu plays Am...

I think I've worked for many of them at one point in time...

she does seem pretty smart

Isn't it amazing that half the population is smarter than average?

craigb


Isn't it amazing that half the population is smarter than average?

 
[pedantic]I don't think that's necessarily correct Craig.
 
If, in a group of ten people, nine have an IQ of 80 and one has an IQ of 130, only 10% of the group will be smarter than the average of 85. I'm sure the same theory could be upscaled to a 'population'[/pedantic]
 
 
 
Or am I just talking bollocks
 
 

Mesh, your wife knows your limitations.  She knows they extend just far enough to watch a ball bounce across a screen.  She knows a labrador might display greater powers of comprehension at that moment.  She's apparently kind enough to let you live indoors, as long as you don't make a mess.

Like most of us, there will be times you're told to "Stay here and think about What You Did".  I know.  I don't get it either.  It's a pattern I can never put together.  Tilting your head to the side and looking confused is not the correct response, however.  Looking sorrowful helps.  Cleaning up the mess helps, only if she doesn't see how you do it.

That's about all I know.  Also there's a raging debate over which half of Bapu/Mooch is above average.

UbiquitousBubba


Mesh, your wife knows your limitations.  She knows they extend just far enough to watch a ball bounce across a screen.  She knows a labrador might display greater powers of comprehension at that moment.  She's apparently kind enough to let you live indoors, as long as you don't make a mess.

Like most of us, there will be times you're told to "Stay here and think about What You Did".  I know.  I don't get it either.  It's a pattern I can never put together.  Tilting your head to the side and looking confused is not the correct response, however.  Looking sorrowful helps.  Cleaning up the mess helps, only if she doesn't see how you do it.

That's about all I know.  Also there's a raging debate over which half of Bapu/Mooch is above average.

You're absolutely right Bubba, my wife does know my limitations and you're being quite generous in using a labrador for comparison purposes as jellyfish & slug are the more popular endearing terms.  
 
So you mean to say my wife doesn't have a lisp problem when saying "Mesh......what a Mesh!!" (I thought she was amazed with me) which was usually followed by (as you've said): "Stay here and think about What You Did"?? No wonder I don't get it!!! Again, you're right Bubba. I may need to consult you on this as I need someone with some expertise in this dept.

drewfx1
[double_pedantic] 
"Arithmetic mean" is usually what someone who says "average" is thinking of.
[/double_pedantic]  

Then my post count is average then?

bapu

drewfx1
[double_pedantic] 
"Arithmetic mean" is usually what someone who says "average" is thinking of.
[/double_pedantic]  

Then my post count is average then?

Let's just say it doesn't matter.

drewfx1

bapu

drewfx1
[double_pedantic] 
"Arithmetic mean" is usually what someone who says "average" is thinking of.
[/double_pedantic]  

Then my post count is average then?

Just say it matters.....

Calculated!
 
 
(We must not dissapprove the mathematically inclined one).

Those that are locked away in what we call a Psychiatric Hospital or some such are in fact exceptionally sane, to sane to enable them to function in our society.

+1 (no math intended)

My excuse precisely!

I'm a genius merely because 'they' haven't put me away............yet.

(or have they?)

SteveStrummerUK

craigb


Isn't it amazing that half the population is smarter than average?

 
[pedantic]I don't think that's necessarily correct Craig.
 
If, in a group of ten people, nine have an IQ of 80 and one has an IQ of 130, only 10% of the group will be smarter than the average of 85. I'm sure the same theory could be upscaled to a 'population'[/pedantic]
 
 
 
Or am I just talking bollocks
 
 

Don't get me started Steve!  I know all about this type stuff (and that statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of 5").  I'm sure that a population sized sample would have a far smoother distribution, but I see your approach is to point out that MOST people are dumber than average!

bapu

craigb


Isn't it amazing that half the population is smarter than average?

Not as amazing as a Bapu/Mooch two note vamp.

If you started a fire, that would make it a two note vamp pyre.


Just thinkin.

Crg


Genius occurs when you recognize a greater "pattern" or thing, or concept and portray it and possibly advance it. Insanity occurs when the perception of greater things falls short of understanding. Intelligence and understanding have always advanced through insanity. Some things can drive you nuts until you figure them out and understand them. There's good nuts and bad nuts, two similar but different states of mind that can overlap.

Thanks crg, you've defined my condition perfectly
(or have you?)

The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success. Bruce Feirstein.