We all know at least one person who continually tries to convince everyone around them that they’re a genius. Some people have the misfortune of living in the midst of an entire family of ‘geniuses’. I qualify under both headings. I wasted a huge amount of time trying to convince people that I was really smart. And pretty much every member of my immediate family is brilliant or creative – usually both. I am neither the smartest nor the most creative member of my family. Not by a long shot. But I tried to convince myself that I was – by trying to convince others. Huge waste of time, and very dangerous to my sanity. For example:
The quickest way to spot a fake genius is by how much bragging they do. They are always trying to convince people that they came up with an original idea first, or that they ‘thought of it’ before they knew of anyone else’s solution. The worst part of this scenario is that the faker actually starts to believe their own lies. As often as not, their audience quickly figures out that the faker is full of hot air and just walks away. The truly gullible ones will stick around and become the faker’s disciples.
Another way to spot a fake is that they’re always talking about the wonderful things they’re going to do – but they never seem to get around to. It’s a bit more subtle kind of fakery, but often indicates that the fake, while perhaps having the ability to do what they talk about, is either scared to do the thing, or is completely delusional. The real hazard of this type is that they’re not actually lying about their abilities – they honestly believe what they’re telling you. It’s much harder to shake yourself loose from someone like this.
Living amongst a group of highly intelligent and creative people can induce a third kind of fakery – they feel a need to keep up with friends/siblings, because they suspect or believe that they’re not actually good enough or smart enough. This often manifests as an attempt to promote their own projects or ideas over their close relations’ – a desperate attempt to fit in. The cognitive dissonance set up in the faker’s mind can’t be maintained for too long before the faker has to ‘get out on their own’ – get far away from the close scrutiny of the people they want to emulate.
All of these paths lead to dust and disappointment. I know, because I’ve done all of them. I was a fake genius. The healing journey I’ve been on for the last decade and more has given me the perspective I needed to walk away from these dead ends. I hope that my cautionary tale will help you on your journey or help you to spot others who need help. But how do you know if someone is actually a genius? Well, there are a few hints.
The Work. As I pointed out in a previous blog (Mad Genius Revisited), the most important thing to any genius or highly creative person is The Work. (Yes, Capitalized.) If they can no longer work, they waste away and die. But as long as they still have work to do, it literally takes death to stop them. The Work is their life and reason – the only one they have. Absolutely nothing else is as important – not fame, not wealth, not even love.
The title of Genius. There are some historical exceptions, but most of those who have been recognized as geniuses refuse to self-identify as such. They don’t have time for that nonsense – they’re too busy. Most find, as I have, that if you are a genius or not, you will probably never know. Genius is a title that other people give you (usually posthumously), you can’t decide that for yourself.
Solitude. There is some scientific evidence to indicate that people at the rarified levels of high intelligence (IQ higher than 140, I believe), have a difficult time making friends or finding love. The reason for this is simple: the ability to understand and be understood by another person is much more difficult the farther apart they are on the scale. As a genius, you have nothing in common with most people. This is not a question of superiority, but simple compatibility.
Anti-specialization. While most super-creative types will be known for their work in one specialized field, they don’t usually see themselves as specialists. Genius/creative people will usually have one or more serious ‘hobbies’. These are additional fields of work that they become very adept at, and often make substantial contributions to. The problem comes when they start to believe that being a genius in one field makes them a genius in all fields. Doesn’t happen.
Geniuses tend to know from a very young age that they are different from others. Most of them are not happy with this knowledge. Like most people, they want to be accepted by others, but this is often not possible – they are too different. So, they either keep their heads down and just do their work, or they become outrageous as a form of self-defense. The trouble is, much of their work won’t be understood or accepted during their lifetime. You don’t really want your kid to be a genius – it’s a difficult life. If you want a good idea of how a genius child thinks, read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. He gets it exactly right.
Whether or not I am a genius is entirely moot – it’s not important. The title of ‘genius’ does an artist more harm than good, I think. My main focus now is just to get better at my craft – I have a lot of stories left to tell, and not that much time left to tell them. I have stopped trying to convince people that I am smart or talented – if I am, that will be shown in my Work. If not, I will simply fade away like the rest. Only time can tell.
Be well.
bcd