Definitions HQ

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠also a man who, though very little gifted, possesses that seriousness which first learns to construct the parts properly before it ventures to fashion a great whole.

The Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an 'old maid' who either begets or gives birth.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠either a genius that only begets (male) or that which prefers being fertilized and giving birth (female).

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not all that rare. What, however, is rare is the opportunity to take full advantage of genius.

The Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠produced by culture out from the breeding ground prepared by the state.

Genius (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠possibly reserved to a limited period of mankind's history that is now gone.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the end-result of finding one's way out of an impossibly dire situation whereby one must exert the most cold-blooded and tedious employment of the wits to discover a new path which no one knows.

The Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠explosive material, in which an immense amount of power is accumulated. They result from the fact that for long ages energy has been collected, hoarded up, preserved for their use - and no explosion has taken place.

Genius (n.) evaded ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠makes a man the most repulsive creature in the world: wholly exterior, without kernel, a tattered painted bag of clothes, a decked-out ghost that inspires neither fear nor pity.

Genius (n.) longs ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠more deeply for sainthood than other men, because from its watchtower it has seen farther — down into the reconciliation of knowledge with being, across to the other coast.

Genius (n.) the ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠highest fruit of life, is summoned to answer whether life is justified: 'Do you affirm this existence in the depths of your heart?' — a single heartfelt Yes, and life shall go free.

Genius (n.) as ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠modern culture produces it, comes about by something hardly distinguishable from cruelty to animals protracted into the human world.

Genius (n.) and ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠saints (n.) need, to produce their greatest effect, interpreters who misunderstand them for the good of mankind.

Genius (n.) its ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠cult is vanity's alibi — only if he is a miracle, remote as a star, does his superiority not aggrieve us.

The Genius (n.) who ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠comes to believe in his own divinity loses his powers pinion by pinion; the incense properly offered only to a god goes to his head.

A Genius (n.) who ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠outruns his public drops it like the eagle drops the tortoise it carried into the clouds — the higher he bore it, the deadlier the fall.

Genius (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠born the way a prisoner plots escape: nature shuts it in a prison and excites in it the greatest possible desire to get free — or it is the man lost in a forest who finds a path no one knows.

Genius (n.) history ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠cries, is a spark thrown off when men are tormented and driven against one another for centuries — whoever wanted to breed it would have to be as evil and ruthless as nature.

Genius (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠keeps the fire of convictions burning and breeds distrust of science's modesty is an enemy of truth, however much it believes itself truth's suitor.

Genius (n.) the ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠robber-genius plunders the masters, unhindered by the reverence that guards them, and amasses riches that themselves come to inspire reverence.