Einstein. You say his name and people think “genius”. He definitely fits the traditional definition. He taught himself advanced math at the age of 12. When he was 26 he had published articles that turned the scientific world upside down. His work has changed how we see not only the world but the universe.
But he was just a man. As a child, he didn’t talk until he was four years old. He couldn’t find work in his field so had to take a menial job at a patent office in order to take care of his family. His home was raided by the Nazi’s and his property was confiscated. He got a girl pregnant, later married her, then cheated on her, and finally divorced her. He fell in love with his cousin. Yes, you see things like this in the tabloid but you also see it in your own family or circle of friends. It is sometimes hard to remember that.
When he traveled around the world he was treated like a rock star. He had hoards of people show up for talks. Sometimes they even showed up uninvited. He at times traveled incognito so that he wouldn’t have to deal with everything associated with his fame.
When I started reading about him I didn’t realize he helped so many people. He knew what was happening with Hitler and worked to get others out of harm’s way. He used his fame to talk to heads of state and get their help to place scientists in other countries where they would be safe. Through his work over 1,000 people were saved.
I also didn’t realize how much of a pacifist he was. I knew he regretted his work that helped create the atomic bomb but he really did very little in that aspect except write a letter and then arrange to meet with President Roosevelt. Somehow I thought he was actually a part of the Manhattan Project. What little he did he said was his biggest regret. But he also realized that if the US didn’t do it the Germans would have gotten the technology. He knew that wasn’t an option.
There is a TV show out, an Amazon Original, called “Man in the High-castle”. It explores what might have happened if Germany had gotten the bomb before we did. What would have happened if one man hadn’t shared what he knew with the people in power? It’s scary. It is also something to take note of.
Albert Einstein felt strongly that he wasn’t a genius. He was just a man who had persistence and love for ideas. He stayed with a problem longer than most. In fact, some people might want to attach negative labels to him. Was he obsessed?
Do you know of people that might seem delayed in some areas of their lives? Maybe they didn’t read right on schedule. Or maybe they didn’t make the best relationship decisions. Did you ever consider these foibles may actually be just the humanness that is hiding a person’s genius?
If Einstein was around today, can you imagine the headlines about him? If he made it that far. He may not have even gotten past working at the patent office. How would his life play out on social media? Or the tabloids? Or would he even be noticed by the media?
Albert Einstein was a genius by my definition of the word because he lived, loved, and shared what he was passionate about. He had the persistence to stick with the ideas he had to see them through and make them understandable.