Quote:
Originally Posted by butterfly  Henry, surely arrogance is not a preriquisite for genius is it? |
I think this is an interesting question. So few geniuses to survey. It seems to me an awful lot of geniuses and brilliant, innovative people have been what other people would term arrogant. I mean, don't you think so? What does it take to go against trends and do something totally above the norm, by substantial margins? It takes someone exceptional. And it takes someone who as some indication that they believe they are exceptional. Probably somewhat socially backwards too, -- awkward.
There's a huge backwater of humanity that desperately wants you to be just like they are, -- mediocre, because it would make them feel better about themselves. Anyone who breaks out of the pack will, conversely, make you feel inadequate. So you resent this. In survival mode the exceptional one has to build up walls to protect himself from the hordes that will attack him for being exceptional, so he becomes
ARROGANT.