Genius
What is genius? I think that can be examined a couple different ways. My answer to that is anyone that generates a new idea. Those can be hard to come by — but no doubt a sign of genius. What about other types of genius? Genius can be combinatorial. That is, a unique ability to synthesize newness from existing reality — facts, experience.
When someone says (for example) Gustave Flaubert was a literary genius, I think it’s fair to say that is correct. Definitely a genius of the second form and if you look at his work through a broad lens, probably a genius of the first form as well.
Where does that leave the rest of us? Most of us probably aren’t geniuses. So what is it we should be striving for? I believe knowledge is what we should be striving for. Enough knowledge to be able to appreciate, and with luck, understand what is and isn’t genius. Not easy. To do that we need to be committed to continuous learning.
It is important to be committed to continuous learning. Sadly, my impression is that only a minority of the population is thus dedicated. I think that explains a lot of why we are socially and politically as divided today as we have ever been as a nation. I’m not saying everyone needs to be a genius, but everyone needs to be able to think, ask questions, and struggle intellectually with solutions And of course, be able to discuss what they have learned with others with an open mind.
When you listen to someone, can you tell if they are a thinking person, or simply someone with randomly acquired opinions with no real expression of where they came from or what makes them correct… I think you can. A key part of being able to do that is spending time yourself in the task of gaining knowledge.