Tramline - Prague (Spring 2003)
This is looking from the tower in the new town hall back toward Wenceslas Square.
Well, either I have no readers to suggest things to me, or they've also come down with a case of writer's block, which prevents them from communicating anything at all in written format.
In lieu of anything new to write, I'm posting a comment I made recently on a friend's page concerning my thoughts on "greatness." Hope you enjoy, and of course you're welcome to disagree with anything I say at any time:
When speaking of genius, there are basically two ways in which a person can be called such, or two ways in which genius is exhibited. It may be shown in a profound exhibition of one type of intelligence. For example, I have had professors who were extraordinarily talented in the realm of mathematics and probabilities, but then far less gifted in other realms of intelligence. Idiot-Savants display the most extreme form of this type of genius.
Or, genius may also take the form of the "Universal Genius." This is the type of person in whom all areas of intelligence are profoundly high, and nearly equally so. The most readily thought of universal genius is probably Leonardo da Vinci. There are certain people who consider this to be the only type of genius:
"Universality is the distinguishing mark of genius. There is no such thing as a special genius, a genius for mathematics, or for music, or even for chess, but only a universal genius. The genius is a man who knows everything without having learned it."
-Otto Weininger
I don't know that I agree completely with Otto, but I think a comparison can be made between greatness and genius. While neither trait is required for the other to exist, both can be thought of as either occurring in focused areas of a person's life, or in all areas of a person's life.
Martha Stewart achieved "greatness" in the realm of interior decoration and whatever else it is that Martha Stewart does. However she certainly didn't achieve any sort of greatness in the realm of investing. Then there are people like Bono from U2 who achieved "greatness" through a rock band, and then used that "greatness" as a means to branch into other areas of greatness, getting third world debt cancelled and working with the likes of Bill and Melinda Gates to start solving the health crisis in Africa.
Concocted By An Enlightened Fellow on Wednesday, April 19, 2006
6 Comments:
that's funny because i started from the same discussion point and hijacked it for my latest blog-post. i must say we went in different (but complimentary?) directions. while i do agree that there is quite possibly a "pure" form of absolute genius (perhaps 10 or so have ever existed in history), i don't think it negates the existence of a specialized genius.. say a musical genius (perhaps 40 or so have existed in history). i think these guys had a slightly milder case of absolute genius and focused it in one field... so they are, for example, musicians who draw on a wide range of knowledge to bolster their musical proficiency and effectiveness to an unprecidented level.
at any rate, as to your rally for writing topics: i am running over with them... and no time to properly attack even a few of these..
- cooking: don't add the herbs and spices to the pot too early (how does this apply to life?)
- the Bible verse: "that you may have life, and have it more abundantly" ... do Christians tend to downplay the enjoyment of life on this Earth? Does God also want us to be excited about Earthly things? Earthly treasures?
- is the 'SQUARE/BOX' an unnatural shape? it doesn't occur in nature, yes we build our world with it... live in them, drive in them, work in them (cubicle), get food from them, watch them (t.v.), get buried in them...
well that's probably enough for now... your thoughts?
Actually I have seen the square box in nature. I have specimens of pyrite (fools gold) that are shaped like a tiny square box.
very nice photos you have here :)
Too much to think about 4 a Friday morning. But I will give it some more thought later. I have a feeling that 'genis' will affect my next post in some way. I will have to roller skate on this. ; )
BTW ... so much deep thinking in bloggies today. Is it a full moon? Oh, nice pic. More thoughts fm way up high!
Happy Friday smooch,
The Tart
; )
Excellent writing topics Tim. You've sent my mind flying in all sorts of directions.
nice, tanager! i totally forgot about crystals... interesting that the few examples of the square box in nature are such cold, hard things. inorganic (not that we'd necessarily want our houses to be living organisms... or our t.v.s for that matter).
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