Definitions HQ

The Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠sometimes so at odds with his human qualities that one has to ask oneself whether a little less talent might not have been better.

Genius (n.) despises ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the rabble yet craves its recognition — Schopenhauer and Nietzsche succumbed to the herd instinct, for the heart's cry is meant for the herd.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the strength drawn from the tie to the maternal source — freed from the embrace of the unconscious by daring and sovereign independence.

Genius (n.) misunderstood ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is often the introverted intuitive who is no artist — a great man “gone wrong,” a wise simpleton, a figure for psychological novels.

Genius (n.) alone ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠sees the idea, rising beyond all willing and individuality; a work of art passes it on to each person only in the measure of his own worth.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠hated by the thoughtful of his nation not out of malice but from the instinct of self-preservation — because he voices what is already going on in the mass and anticipates their own aspirations; the deeper he sees, the stranger he becomes, and his fame, if it comes, is posthumous.

Genius (n.) draws ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠on a vision everyone shares: the golden apples fall from one tree, whether a dim locksmith's apprentice picks them up or a Schopenhauer.

Genius (n.) nearly ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠always intrudes and disturbs: speaking to a temporal world out of an eternal one, he says the wrong things at the right time — yet he is the healer of his time.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠everywhere hemmed round by the unconscious god within: ideas flow to him he knows not whence, he is driven to create he knows not to what end.

Genius (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is creative is never one but many, speaking in stillness to the souls of the multitude whose destiny it embodies.

Genius (n.) conjured ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by a teacher's optimism may turn out a blank — like the biography noting no sign of genius up to the subject's fortieth year, nor indeed afterwards.

Genius (n.) acts ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠like a divine daemon far in advance of the child's years — one that needs no educating, but against which the child must be protected.

Genius (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠feels misunderstood usually turns out to be a good-for-nothing seeking a soothing explanation of himself — "Or perhaps you are nothing but a lazy hound?"

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠there by God's grace from the start, in full strength, and will come through despite everything; talent is a statistical regularity that can be crippled or fostered.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not the same as personality: a man may be a genius without being a personality.

Genius (n.) bears ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the brunt of an outsize psychic complex; if it can cope, it does so with joy, and if not, it must perform the symptomatic actions its gift imposes, writing, painting or composing what it suffers.