The Rare Trait That Sits Between Talent And Intelligence That Sets True Geniuses Apart
streetsh | Unsplash Understanding philosophy can be an intellectually challenging endeavor, yet one man has made it his mission to make it more accessible to the masses. Julien de Medeiros takes phrases from noted philosophers and breaks down the meaning behind them. He recently tackled the philosopher Schopenhauer's rule for determining genius, as opposed to talent.
19th-century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer viewed the world as fundamentally irrational and driven by desire. He believed people can find peace by resisting desire and focusing on compassion. He advocated for replacing desire with compassion, so we can reduce suffering and find stability for ourselves and our communities.
There's a rare trait that sits between talent and intelligence that sets true geniuses apart: how imaginative you are
Schopenhauer’s famous quote dives into the difference between genius and talent, noting: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see."
While being talented and intelligent means you work hard and think deeply, being a genius means you're consistently imagining new versions of the world and inventing ideas that don't yet exist
According to de Medeiros’ interpretation, “Talent is really good at outcompeting others; for example, if you’re talented at something, you can do something with ease that other people would find difficult.”
Yet genius takes a different form, as it “has nothing to do with besting other people at something they’ve already established as being important. Instead, genius is about being so good at something that you’re ahead of your time. Other people don’t know yet that what you’re doing is important or valuable.”
A talented person works in what already exists, but a genius imagines a future that’s better for everyone
“The talented person is the one who is recognized for their skill,” de Medeiros said. “The genius is the one who is doing something no one else can yet conceive of doing.”
Having a strong and vivid imagination plays into someone’s level of genius, as being imaginative allows people to think of things that don’t yet exist, creations that have yet to come to light.
Schopenhauer spoke of talent and genius in a variety of ways, rooted in the idea of geniuses as visionary people. He believed that “the man of genius requires imagination, to see in things not what nature has actually formed, but what she endeavored to form, yet did not bring about, because of the conflict of her forms with one another.”
While his statement seems vague, the underlying meaning is clear: A person needs to utilize their imagination in order to invent and reinvent different ways of existing in the world at large.
Genius and intelligence take different forms, and neuroscientists have long investigated the various ways intelligence manifests: socially, emotionally, relationally; people can be smart in so many different ways.
Genius can show up in not-so-typical ways, too, including having high levels of empathy and creativity
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Being a genius also manifests in being continuously curious and wanting to expand one’s basis of knowledge. A study explored how being snoopy is directly connected to being smart. Geniuses can acknowledge they don’t know everything, but they strive to learn everything they can.
If you find yourself considering inventive solutions to whatever problems you may be faced with, and you're always searching to discover new ways of doing things, you just might be beyond talented. You might be a true genius.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis, and all things to do with the entertainment industry
