What makes a person a Genius?

Post Reply New Topic

Genius requires

1) A high IQ (sorry, but it's true)
2) A determined passion for a single interest
3) The financial stability and environment which will allow for that high passion to flourish.
4) People to take notice.

For me, and I think for many, the one element missing is #4.

Imagine if Einstein had remained working at his job at the patent office, submitted his 1905 papers for publication, and had those papers rejected.....

Imagine Mozart without Count Esterhazy.

Indeed. I had an IQ of 143 or so (last it was tested many many many years ago). Most IQ tests measure my IQ as being between 133 and 143 depending on the test and with a few exceptions (those that rely on visual patterns...I have convergence issues with my eyes and those tests are hard for me to look at). I also got good grades at University even if I didn't finish my degree and my grades with the OU were even higher ranging from 86% to mostly being 95% or higher with a 97% grade for a physics paper and 100% on a geology test.

I did typing and IT qualifications as well and got distinctions. I got A grades for my GCSE etc yadda yadda yadda...

I never even revised for exams...I have never revised for exams. I never had to try to get good grades, I just do, although I do do a lot of research for my own entertainment.

I am not genius however and I have not yet done anything notable with my ability at all.

I didn't even finish my BA in Archaeology.

I got physically ill and got stuck on disability. My social issues don't help either. I gave up jobs I was excelling at because the other staff gave me a hard time.

A very intelligent person once told me, "Genius is when other people are like children to you".

I am called a genius, so I should I describe myself ?

Doctors, family, several bosses, co-workers, strangers, co-workers with PHD degrees all call me a genius, yet, I am sloppy, make errors, dress unkept sometimes, let me hair go where it will, and suck at a lot of stuff.

So why do they rightfully, or wrongfully call me a genius ?

1. High IQ - I am more intelligent than anyone I encounter. I am not bragging. I am told by others I am.
2. Superior reasoning skills
3. "Learning for the sake of learning" - A lifetime commitment to learning about the world - for example, I completed an estimated 350 college credits in my five years at the University where I took coursework unrelated to my engineering degree if I thought it was interesting. That is equivalent to three undergraduate degrees. My autism doctor noted that I have a high curiosity about the world.
4. I have spent my lifetime being truly, constantly, always alone reading stuff, solving problems, building things, thinking about things.
5. My past employment as a computer programmer, engineer, and now my present employment as a patent examiner has required me to learn and problem-solve everyday on these different jobs.

Answer:
High IQ + High Reasoning + Decades of Learning information & Problem Solving = people think you are a genius

Also, people do become like children to you.

I disagree with some statement here that people need "accomplishment" to be thought of as a genius. That is only if one wants official recognition like Einstein.

I think I might be ordinary for intelligent ASPIES/HFA ??

Last edited by LoveNotHate on 05 Dec 2013, 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

No. It all depends on your definitions of "productive and useful" but there's a general attitude that people are only worth as much as they can contribute to capitalist endeavors, and that is the same kind of thinking that devalues disabled people.

So, no, it's not a waste. You don't know such a person's circumstances, and for all you know they may be doing something productive and useful, just not necessarily productive or useful for capitalist purposes.

No.

for LoveNotHate - you are accomplished! At all you are and have done. I say "knowledge without action has no value" your knowledge is by all means in action - accomplishment can be anything just that outstanding accomplishments

Thanks.

I had learning disabilities, failed at everything, my parents/others thought I was not smart when growing up.
So, I set out to learn everything I could about the world.

I would go to school and repeat what my parents would say so others thought I was smart.

1% inspiration (complex interactions involving intelligence, creativity, and luck) + 99% perspiration => outstanding accomplishments in intellectual areas => Genius

The term "genius" is as much a diagnostic criterion as the therm "autism" is. It is defined by a person's having an IQ above 130, well above-average pattern recognition and problem-solving skills, and an intense ability to focus for long periods of time.

Genius is not used as diagnostic label in modern times. The label for IQ 130+ is "Very Superior" for Wechsler and IQ 145+ is "Very Gifted" for Stanford-Binet.

Genius is something like this from Wikipedia: A genius is a person who displays exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight.

True, one cannot find a diagnostic criterion for "genius" in the DSM, however my point was that not everyone can be a genius because there are specific inherent criteria which must be met, a well above average IQ being the standard measure.

So should I go for the astrophysical branch then? I have a IQ on 87 (my first offical test) but there are many factors on why I scored that low, it was very early in the morning and I didn't sleep well. Also the psychologist told me that I have a very good matrix reasoning skills yet extremely low on block design (0 lowest and 20 highest, I got a 5). I have a good verbal comprehension the only problem is that I lack the advanced words which makes it harder to communicate. So what do you think, Is it just a waste of time If I wanna go for it (Because I might be unproductive at this level?)
? On the diagnostic paper the only problems I have is "mental quickness" and block design, Is that typical for a asperger?

You can go into any field in which you can do well. If you are good at physics like physics problem solving and understanding physics concepts, then you can go for physics.

Quantum: I.Q. does have some meaning. However, since your score was dragged down my something as silly as block design, why should that get in the way of being an astrophysicist? Last I checked there are no blocks out there in space. You will know if you are unqualified to be an astrophysicist by your grades in astrophysics classes. Until then, I say, go for it. My roommate in college was a "genius" and he majored in astrophysics and ended up doing economics because he couldn't hack it, because his I.Q. just wasn't good in physics. It was good for other things. So I say: Go for it, my friend.

Ohhh learning is great fun! I love it love it love it love it love it love it...but I live in a world where everyone thinks it is work or stressful which pisses me off. Why? Because every time I want to take a new course to study people are lined up ready to say things like "won't you find it too stressful?"

No no no no no no and no! NO!

Studying, researching, writing essays, solving problems, finding creative or new ways of doing things is exhilarating and entertaining.

It is depressing that people think such things are work. Its more fun than making social chit chat!! !! !! !! !! I'd rather be in the library doing research than at a noisy party.

I have been that way forever and that, i think, is partly why they started me at school early. I was so curious about everything that when my parents took me for registration a few years before I was due to reach school age (there was a waiting list for the school they wanted me to go to) I apparently impressed the people there so much they jumped me up said waiting list and started me straight away.

They apparently decided that I was ready to begin learning ASAP.

I am not genius like yourself but I was labelled as 'exceptionally bright' and 'extremely intelligent' by academic institutions and tutors. I was also tested as having advanced development (for my age) in various areas but they never specified which ones exactly other than moral development...they said 'number of areas' though, which is plural, so there must have been more than one. I do wish I could get hold of the paperwork from all the tests they did.

The only complaint they had about me was not being able to read my hand writing apparently. That is ok, neither could I back then lol. It was a good job I had an unusually good memory (hence why I never needed to revise for exams) and could remember what I had written down anyway.

I never did go back over my notes after taking them either...never needed to. Once it was in, it was in. Why keep going over what I already knew, understood and could remember?

I will say I don't want to learn everything thing though. Some subjects make me sleepy (ie business studies..zzzzzz)

On saying that there are still a large number of subjects that interest me from Arachaeology to zoology (just go through the alphabet basically) and if I could spend my life learning about all of them I would. That would be a dream come true.

I wish they hadn't changed the funding system for students over here...it's made it financially impossible to go to University at this time.

What is depressing is that despite all of that and the grades I acquired when I did study academically I am still treated by the general public and the system like I am a backwards idiot who doesn't understand anything just because I am quirky, prone to having a slightly noisy (but not aggressive) temper when I am upset/hurt/angry/overwhelmed/overloaded by social or emotional upsets, have an unusual way of seeing and doing things (I like to be creative...this is why I don't like to do science only when studying...no room for creative expression) and tend to develop opinions that are divergent from the norm or controversial.

I also don't socialise all that well...I really do not fit and never did. I was always different to my peers because of my differences in regards to development. They sensed it, I sensed it...we all sensed it. I was outnumbered...I became the outcast everyone bullied.

I was also tested as being over sensitive, too idealistic and emotionally immature which did not help.

It's all very frustrating and it depresses me. The state of the world depresses me. The ignorance and cruelty of mankind depresses me...and my own loneliness depresses me as well.

My apologies for the digression there.

I really have not decided what I feel constitutes genius yet.