Exactly. It takes more than intelligence to do what Einstein did. Education, ambition, opportunity, a semblance of social freedom, etc... If you’re born in the wrong country, or the wrong social class, or for various reasons lack motivation to use your gifts... then it doesn’t matter how smart you are.
I’d argue there have been people smarter than Einstein, but simply never existed under the right set of circumstances. A lot of luck involved, sadly. Too much.
In spades for Newton, Copernicus, Galileo, Fourier, Tesla, etc. Sure, they were all reasonably bright, but if they had been born to a life that made them a subsistence farmer with no connections to academia and/or finance...
Part of his nurturing was the time his mother spent helping him so he can go back to regular school (if I remember correctly). People don't spend enough time with their children to even think about doing this. Let alone all those lost genius children in impoverished countries.
I mean Einstein was actively against quantum physics, so you shouldn't give him too much credits. I mean, after all quantum physics has lead to some extraordinary discoveries and some amazing inventions. (Also Niels Bohr won)
This is kinda pedantic. My point wasn’t about Einstein. It’s about how many minds like his may have been lost to circumstance. Replace Einstein with your preferred genius, and the actual point I’m making still holds true.
117
u/ConfusedCartman Apr 10 '19
Exactly. It takes more than intelligence to do what Einstein did. Education, ambition, opportunity, a semblance of social freedom, etc... If you’re born in the wrong country, or the wrong social class, or for various reasons lack motivation to use your gifts... then it doesn’t matter how smart you are.
I’d argue there have been people smarter than Einstein, but simply never existed under the right set of circumstances. A lot of luck involved, sadly. Too much.