Genius say's Why?

So many people, through history, have attempted to define the term, I think in an effort to make it apply to themselves. That is not my desire, though I do have some thoughts on its definition. What I want out of this inquiry, is to tell what genius means to me. What makes another a genius, brilliant, and extraordinary. I think however, for the sake of clarity, I should delve into the clouded, murky waters of this topic.

Genius' (that’s the pluralization people), differ from prodigies. A prodigy is an individual who possess a heightened ability. We must point out though, that these are often in fields like math, music, chess, fields where after learning the concepts, the rest in natural ability. There are no prodigies in quantum physics, or engineering, or writing, because the concepts aren't enough to fully grasp the tasks at hand and start solving problems. A child can make mathematical discoveries after learning some things about math, the speed at which they make these is what makes them a prodigy. But we're digressing.

A genius is someone who sees with their mind. Musical genius' can visualize the sound waves in their head and feel the harmonies rightness, and mathematical ones can manipulate numbers unconsciously. Richard Feynman, a notable physicist who worked on the Manhattan project, said that he could see the functions he was working on interacting with one another. He describes it in such a way that even though they exist completely in his mind, they have a life of their own, his brain holds such an intimate and complete understanding of them her worked them out unconsciously. (I am not a physicist, nor have I read the book in which I read this for quite a while, so you'll forgive if I forgo citation). To me, there are only two things that make a genius. A mind which can learn something so completely, that it literally becomes part of them, an unconscious fifth limb, and the opportunity to confront a really unique and interesting problem. Statistically speaking, there are several thousand people with the same IQ as Steven Hawking and Albert Einstein walking around right now. What keeps them from getting noticed is that they never find their interesting problem.

Now for some fun with the definition. Levels of human experience are often ranked on a continuum, with genius and madness being almost indistinguishably separate. Does this mean sanity and stupidity are likewise closely related? Genius isn't even close to madness, and here is why; Sanity is simply an agreed upon way to perceive reality as defined by a majority of the population. If every one but you saw the moon as a giant smiling face, or the clouds as spaceships, they would look at you as if crazy if you were to tell them its a hunk of rock, or wisps of water vapor. They would be wrong to do so, since you can obviously test both hypothesis, but you'd still be crazy because everyone knows the "clouds" are where our robot masters live. So sanity is a matter of perceived reality and popularity, but what about when we delve into the part of reality we cannot see? Our brains don't all have the necessary materials to work out quantum physics from birth. So, a genius is someone who can see, through effort and ingenuity, to different levels of reality.

A little background on my name.

Everyone has various names they go by.  True names, nicknames, given names, stage names, handles, tags, or pseudonyms, but they all amount to the same thing.  An identity, carefully crafted, honed and nurtured until it is a different persona.  The best of us have matured this ability until our alternate identities take on their own lives.  They have different slang, modes of speech, philosophies, background stories, and (for the more unhinged of us) maybe even accents.  They all add up to the same thing however, a way of communicating something about ourselves that is, or we wish were, true.  The one I'm talking about I've signed my posts with here, have an Xbox live profile of, and it reaches back into my teenage years. (No this will not be an angst-ridden post, although my nerd will show a bit). 

A Fluke is traditionally defined many ways; a type of fish, a parasite, part of a ships anchor.  For myself, I take the most oft used, but lowest technical definition of the word, an accidental stroke of luck or good fortune.  Note, that the accidental is the most important part of that definition for me.  Often I will be playing a game online or in the company of friends, and some unexpected turn of events will push the game in my favor.  Or classroom assignments will be covering a topic I had recently read.  Sometimes tests that I haven't studied for will be rescheduled.  The point isn't that these thing happen just to me, because I know that statistically, random providential happenstance occurs for everyone, the point is that it happens frequently enough to me that others have noticed it.

After years of playing games online, and winning (losing sometimes too) through a combination of skill (I played a lot), and shear dumb luck, and subsequently being accused of hacking, cheating, or fixing the game in some way to my advantage, I got fed-up.  I changed my handle from some horribly teenage thing, to Fluke.  Now, when the dice fall just right for me, no one can exclaim "CHEAT!"  It is advertised, right there for you, luck is against you, and follows me.  Yes, she is a fickle bitch, sometimes she joins the other team, but I'm also good enough at what I do that it doesn't tip the scale out from under me.  And this odd twist of fate doesn't just pertain to virtual reality (hehe perception), but to our world as well.  So I have adopted it, this is my identity.  I am an accident, fates twisting knife and arching blade, Murphy is on my fucking five. 

Its about damn time

For the longest time, I've considered sharing my writing, thoughts or however they will be viewed, with other people.  I have finally grown tired of thinking to myself "I should really write about this (interesting topic)", and then not.  Mostly what has held me back is fear, and not one founded in reality, but wholly irrational fears. 

I fear criticism, but not the constructive kind.  I am afraid of those horrible Internet trolls we all know.  That special brand of person who takes a perverse pleasure in taking something apart without actually considering its merits.  What scares me the most about them is they completely miss the point of the topic, and refuse to see logic.  No amount of conversation, arguing, cajoling or down right cold logic will make them see the point, and that would just sap my energy.

I fear people not getting it.  I worry endlessly that people will simply not understand what I'm talking about.  They will misinterpret, get lost, or confused by my ranting ramblings through the endless pathways of thought.  However, some random, amorphous person who doesn't understand the points I (will eventually) get too, doesn't invalidate that point.  It isn't a representation of the world as a whole, just their own reality.

I fear the incomplete.  Any work that I have, must be a finished product before anyone can see it.  I can't even stand to look at spelling errors in the middle of it even though I have a spell checker, and the knowledge that they will still be there when I'm done.  It is a ridiculous fear and its time I got over it.

I have thought to myself, "I am not perfect", and its time to actually act on it.  I will get better, or not, but I think writing is the best way I can communicate ideas.  Those looping pathways of my mind are more interconnected than a bayesian network, and the insanity I present to the world is real as the next persons sanity.  I don't particularly care if no one reads this (lies all lies), but I am doing this as a promise to myself.  I want to continue to write about the confusing complexeties of life that make the world interesting.