Genius and madness

The issue about genius is still disputable and obscure. Scientists, belonging to different branches tried to unravel this mystery but they failed. The origin of genius is still a secret to our mankind and we still don't know how they emerge, what favours the development of supernatural abilities of some people and why other people are deprived of these supernatural gifts despite all imaginable favourable conditions. It is not clear whether it is the physical structure of one's brain, which leads to brilliance or a characteristic feature of mind exclusively. Brilliant people are usually unsociable and seem rather strange to all other people. This strangeness makes these people very similar to madmen. Indeed, all their actions are strange. It is often difficult to understand them; they have fixed ideas and odd thoughts.

At first sight these people really resemble madmen, but it is wrong conclusion to refer them to mentally ill persons. The only common feature of brilliant people and madmen is that they are usually misunderstood by average people. This is a superficial comparison. This single resemblance can't prove similarity of genius and madness. It is true that some brilliant people are mad as well as some mad people can demonstrate brilliance. But we know from history that many brilliant people were absolutely normal and responsible. Besides, brilliance is usually clearly discernable at an early age, while madness develops gradually and reaches its peak when a person is about 35 years old. Madness is usually inherited and brilliance is usually not inherent in genius's offspring.

Mad people are totally indifferent to problems of mankind in most cases, but geniuses always wanted to help mankind to solve all its burning problems.

If we compare madmen and geniuses very carefully we will see that they have almost nothing in common. First impressions are always delusive.

Another reason for such awkward comparisons is envy. It is always easier to pin a label on a brilliant person, than to admit one's own stupidity.