many of the users of this web site are geniuses so i wonder when do you go from being a genius to just become crazy.

I was always under the impression that a genius was defined as someone with an IQ over 150.

Define genius and why you think many of the users on this site are as such

Hmmmm, well let's see here:





Clarify your use of the words and maybe I could respond. Jody

It's all from a perspective.

The only difference between a crazy and a
genuis is that one has "creativity"

That's an interesting one! I don't understand how it defines a genius though, but sure enough it is in the dictionary, ('cos I had to have a look )

A genius is a mind left to investigate every thought possible no matter how crazy, but it is a mind kept on a chain.
A nut is a mind which investiagtes every though possible no matter how crazy, but it is one which is let off its chain and is out of control.

And you Atom, are a genius, thanks

I think it's a take on the word "genie".

Lots of extremely clever people on this site, and even more wacky ones , not sure about geniuses though.

Genie = Djinn

we don't want any Djinns on here

the IQ have to be higer then 120 and not 140 . but i wonder what makes the difference like many geniuses have bin called crazy because of their theories and many have had or had mental illnesses so where is the border between a genius and a crazy person because many genius persons have ideas that are being called crazy so who is crazy and who is geniuses.

i want your ideas about this

hahahahahahahaa

That's not true, either one could be creative.

I think I am a genius, I MUST be crazy, but crazy people don't question if they are crazy.....maybe I'm a little of both! LOL

The closest way of determining one's intelligence, devised and perfected in over a century of scientific studies is via an I.Q. test. Two among the most influential psychologists studying intelligence, Lewis M. Terman and Leta Hollingworth suggested two different numbers when considering the cut-off for genius in psychometric terms. Dr. Terman considered it to be an IQ of 140, while Dr. Hollingworth put it at an IQ of 180. However, both these numbers are ratio IQs which in deviation values, in use at present day, put the genius IQ cut-off at 136 (98.77th percentile) and 162 (99.994th percentile) respectively. There are several examples, however, of people with IQ levels in the genius range while having a disability or very low level in one of the subcategories. The IQ test has also been criticized as being racist in its application and conclusions despite that these tests are designed to eliminate race/sex for example by predicting numerical sequences, etc. Also, one does not necessarily have to possess an IQ of this stature to be a genius. A vast intelligence is needed, but the mental state of possessing genius is based primarily upon an incredible understanding of complex issues and problems, and, as stated above, a profound creativity and imagination.

Link - Genius


LOL, I scored around 128 IQ! So, i suppose i fall a bit short of being a genius as far as the numbers are concerned.

But, I am a very creative and, imaginative person. I have had people tell me that i am crazy quite often!
I don't think they meant it in a literal sense, it's more than likely do to the fact that i'm a very comical person.

Yea, I like that one.

A person who has a very high IQ (leaving aside the technical definition of genius) almost has to be so different from the average joe that they are often seen as crazy, wacky, or at least eccentric.

They "see" things differently, and see more alternate possibilities. Therefore their ethical/moral values may be based on different premises and suppositions to the average person, which again may make them seem crazy.

Their ability to think, either in one area like maths or music, or in many areas, goes much deeper than the average person's, and again, provides them with insights and links others do not see.

None of this really matters except when people act on prejudice against the highly intelligent or if those intelligent people try to oppose the will of the majority, because they know that will is leading to harmful outcomes.

It is always frustrating to be a minority, even in an open and democratic society. However, while people with exceptional sporting or physical abilities are usually feted by their physical inferiors, those with exceptional intellect are more than often treated with suspicion and disdain.

Apart from a few who become folk heroes, or have a quirk of personality which appeals, (or like Stephen hawking have an offsetting physical disability), most people of exceptional intellect are indeed seen as a bit strange and different, but more than this, they may be seen as dangerous to the more average citizen.

An extreme example of this was found in the killing fields of Cambodia, where Pol Pot, in an attempt to rebuild an agrarian peasant- based society, had anyone who could read or write executed. Just the wearing of glasses became a death sentence, as only"intellectuals" were seen as requiring glasses

My chemistry teacher said that to be classified as a "genius" you only need an IQ above 114. This was the average score or some such of people that were considered exceptional in their fields.

Not sure how IQs actually work I got 138 on the tickle one while drunk off my face lol... :|

I am damn sure an IQ of above 120 does not constitute a genius, if it did a high proportion of the population would be classified as such. As I said earlier, I always thought the figure was 150 or higher, others have mentioned 140 - I cannot imagine it being lower than that.

MENSA, the High-IQ Society, takes people above 150 (or used to) which in Britain, is the top 2% of the population, if 120 was a genius figure, MENSA are missing out a lot of people



The IQ figures to define a genius are getting lower and lower

Not really, what is happening is that every person needs more general skills in life to get by so we end up training a whole part of our brain instead of specific parts. IQ tests are mainly based on mathematical visualise etc skills however in everyday life we need to train other parts of our brains more and this balances our intelligence, in that sense, out. Someone who scores an IQ of 160 has severe lack of ability in one of the other 7? areas of intellect.

Bah.... 127 in 2 sperate tests.... Certainly no genius here mind.... I have a minimal memory for new information and get lost going to a destination I have been guided to many times previous...

I can however workout what change I should get for my money before the till opens though

First, the IQ tests one finds online are basically useless (ie, garbage). Also, the concept of 'genius' goes beyond what standard IQ testing measures. A person can be an artistic or musical genius (which isn't even addressed on standard IQ tests). In recent years (due greatly to the work of Dr. Howard Gardner) intelligence has become viewed as being more than just logical or mathematical reasoning. The concept is that multiple intelligences (link) may be far more accurate way of looking at IQ.

I guess if you mean genius as a smart person then there are quite a few of those floating around. True genius, as in from birth or child genius, exists as only 2 types. Mathematical and musical (though it can be argued that music is only an extension of math and the only type is mathematical).

Also for the uninformed about IQ's, your IQ correlates to your ability to learn and reason, it does not change over your life time (may fluctuate a little but probably due to inaccuracy in testing or variation in testing).

Not as many as you would think. All you have to do is read.


I scored 144 a few years back and now I'm only 128 ... boo hoo. LoL.

I recall the Mensa newsletter printing complaints about the Mensa qualification test.
Over time, several of the letters, coming from physicists, mathematicians, and other sciences, complained that the tests were biased in favor of the more artistic elements of society, and claimed Mensa should alter the tests to be "fair".
Other letters were written by people degreed in the arts and other areas, or at least professionally involved in those things, who complained that the tests were biased in favor of the sciences, and demanded Mensa change the same tests to be more favorable to the arts.

Given this aspect, then, one could say that the Mensa tests are perhaps more comprehensive than the "normal" IQ tests administered by educational institutions, since the tests seem to be nasty to both types of education, or ability.

It is also notable that the cross-sectional membership of Mensa is not, by any means, limited to those of higher education, or even high school education. That membership consists of everything from physicists to plumbers to cowboys who left school at age 16.

Personal opinion: it is not how intelligent one is that counts, it is what one does with what one has. Period.

Even though Mensa is a selective IQ society they are but one amongst many. They are one of the lower ones as well. There are much higher percentile IQ societies like Prometheus Society

Good One!!

You're a genius if you can answer my question.

42 ? (Well that is the answer to everything), but of course in actuality, I was clever enough to answer your question before you even asked it. Want to prove me wrong? Oh , guess you will have to tell us the question, then we can see if i was right.

I always thought it was 160 oh well either way I've beaten both. (I usually score 160ish highest I've gotten is 176) And I see myself as crazy xD)

Craziness = placing limitations upon what constitutes genius
Genius = uninhibited imagination, coupled with apathy in the application of labels

Naivety = failure to recognize that my definition of genius deemed me crazy.

Interesting topic. Low latent inhibition "may" be the link:

Latent inhibition - The inability to unconsciously ignore stimuli that are perceived as irrelevant to ones needs.

Low Latent Inhibition - "Normal" people are able to shut out this constant stream of incoming stimuli, those with low latent inhibition cannot. It is hypothesized that a low level of latent inhibition can either cause insanity or a high level of creativity, which is usually dependent on the subject's intelligence. Those of above average intelligence are thought to be capable of processing this stream effectively, an ability that greatly aids their creativity and ability to learn and which categorizes them as almost a creative genius. Those with less than average intelligence, on the other hand, are less able to cope, and so as a result are more likely to suffer from mental illness.




Source: Entangled Minds/Dean Radin, Ph.D




Source: Science Daily/Article

People with low levels of latent inhibition and high levels of IQ tend to be successfully creative, functioning people, because they are able to navigate the increased amount of input. For the sake of mental health, it should be the goal of geniuses, and those with above average intelligence with low latent inhibition, to learn how to peer comfortably into the abyss without becoming swallowed up by it.

edit: typo

I've been swallowed by the mental illness of abyss without desire for comfortable peering, and I've never been happier.

Comfortable peering = concerning myself with names hurting me, possibly sticks and stones, too.
Mental illness = impossible when one's brain is imaginary
Abyss = bliss

Oi...I hope I didn't offend you. Wasn't my intent. If so, my apologies.

the difference is one of perspec.tive

Offensive language? Heavens no. There'd have to be language in existence to begin with.

Whew!!!

edited to add: with highlighted. lol

First of all:
this is my first post on this forum and its so cool. How humans love to poke inside the realm of the unknown (chaos i prefer)

Hey dier-erdna I love this question (wink at my name hehehe)
So lets get to business:
Crazy and Insane are first of all both words created by man but the word man means variation. Nobody is the same and nobody picks up the same definitions of a word when taught or just interprets them differently.
Like others said, its all about everyones personal perspective and I think this is true.

these are my thoughts on both words:

Genius: a person with not just a higher level of intelligence, but also much more able to make connections (see patterns, correlations, filtering context, enz) to stuff which i would define as creativity and most importantly.. they have Discipline for whatever scientifical dreams they have. or atleast the combined effect of the three: intelligence, creativity and willpower(discipline) is (much) more promising.
Willpower is very important and dont you forget it. A genius is someone who has a freakylike desire to solve or invent or whatever the discipline is the genius in question is attending to(what his work is). Willpower is the fuel that makes you stick to your dream. the coolest sportscar there is won't be of much use without any fuel (metaphor: catch the moral). I know a genius in real life (again my own judgement but this guy is alpha nerd really amazing). He never wanted to play as a kid because of his own codeset of behaviour. Other people pick to have fun in life, have dirty sex, drink beer all day, become rich or be a boring lawyer. but not this genius oh no. I also think being a genius comes with a prize: a social prize. being a loner because not many will be able to catch up on your mental drifting and because the genius chooses so because he needs to have time to fuel his craving and has no time for smallstuff like catching a movie or going to party. Everyone needs someone to talk to and some stuff cannot be told because nobody understands or there are interpretation errors. But, a genius still has bonds with social order where the mainstream of humans is dwelling: aka the mediocrities, the just another joe's, common herd or whatever label-alike u wish. But I think that they have more trouble explaining their points of view than a social streetkid.

Crazy:
Again just another word/label. My honest opinion is that crazy means asocial. Crazy persons have left the world of human social order completely whatever the reason might be(brain laesion, living in a cave, etc) . Normal people are unable to communicate with the crazy person.
"What the hell is he talking about? what a l00n (crazy). But I saw them, they are all around us and coming!!!" -> One way ticket to an Asylum: Insanity
"Fred: But honey, you said that if i sold my smelly car you would marry me? Angie: I know and I will but you are crazy for doing that Fred ) -> just unorthodox, nor everyday behaviour but still comprehensible in a way or too insignificant to measure up to a room inside an asylum. (why does my neighbour muslim female wear that scarve to cover her face? something to do with religion but thats not too indepth...it's still a bit vague to me)
(sorry for the stupid examples lol but its about the meaning of the example)

But another problem is: Who is capable of making these judgements? How well do you really know the person you are labelling? Are you making those nasty assumtions again?

I think a genius can often be seen as crazy... What if einstein dug too deep? often when a brilliant mind discovers a theory for example it's normal for the rest of the world to accept the theory as true years later the actual discovery. (gah fianlly they see it too, took their time too!) But if he dug too deep it might have caused him to lose himself to chaos and the links to society? Or maybe his discovery is so radical the world isnt ready for it. like when Aristarchus of Samos believed that the Earth went around the Sun the church, in a threatedned position, threw the idea off the table.
My point is: what if a genius drifts off too far? nice to know all that stuff he knows but how to communicate with the rest of the world?
Professor Genius: but i tell you, humans can fly if we remove these genes and replace them with these!. Prof. notsogenius: sure Andy, I think you need a vacation..."
On the other hand: what if einstein, as potent as he might have been, never did a damn thing with his talents? He would just be another guy, forgotten over time

what about tarzan? ;p born in the jungle yeah but he has no social life like the rest of humanity even though he IS human. If he would be magically teleported out of his melodrama and appear at my door and I'd open he would start climbing in the curtains or something... Id be like omg what a crazy fool. But to what extent? Yes everything is relative, a gradient. Even tarzan has a human blueprint of genes and has social skills to a limited extent, underdeveloped id say but animals communicate too. I would understand him better if i knew his background (assuming i dont when i open that door). Assumtions huh. Crazy or just not understood?
To my opinion people always have a choice in judgement. It's easy for me to label tarzan as crazy call an asylum and be done with it just because he climbs in my curtains and that is crazy(unorthodox) but if i knew he is used to swining through the treetops i would be able to link him with monkey behaviour. I wonder how many people see tarzan as a crazy loon or a hero or an excentric man? or maybe all or something else?.. after watching the movie/musical/whatever

So:
A genius to one person might be a crazy fool to another. It depends on the source of judgement but he is still able to communicate with the mass in some extent to present his findings in an orderly manner.
a crazy person cannot communicate with the community in an orderly fashion and is labeled crazy (rightious or not? was the judgement made by someone capable of doing so?)
A genius has part of a crazy person within him(or excentric if you will). I like this but this is my thought: A genius has a hightened level of the innate set of genes together with environmental input determine his intelligence, creativity and willpower.
With the crazy person part I mean chaos to society, uncharted territory if you will but not for himself. He has created his own form of order out of chaos(the great unknown) and is (still) able to communicate his theories to the world (if we consider an invention)

a crazy person to me is someone who has been lost to chaos beyond my understanding.
the behaviour that is interpreted by others is completely out of tune with normal behaviour we compare our perceptions with, maybe normal behaviour of just ourselves.
crazy to me is unorthodox or insane but IF insane i would label it that and not crazy, but insanity is also crazy just a stonger variant of the word.
So crazy to me is more like the gradient between unorthodox(uncommon) up to insane so like: uncommon - crazy - insane
miscommunication in signaling a form of behaviour from the 'crazy'person to the recipient. (flaw as in part of context misunderstood or nonsense to recipient or just a surprise remark etc lalala)
some people label excentric persons as crazy too.
But tbh.. crazy and genius are words i dont use often myself but this would be what I think of both words

Chaos is the daily food for a scientist, they are constantly operating the spinning wheel creating order as we know it from the great unknown chaos.

Anyways hope I put up a reasonable first comment about a subject on these forums and I hope you can use my thoughts on the matter dier-erdna.
Greets, Richie

All these wonderful posts and all I can come up with is that we are all genius's in are own right. As you are only as smart as the man you are talking to, until he proves you wrong

That is very well said

I think great intellect should be more measured on how you use it, not what your potential is. Everyone has exceptional potential yet only a few realize and utilize it to any great degree.

there is a fine line between genius and insanity, the idea of being a genius means being unusal in mind but if you are incapable of surviving you own mental growth then you will be deemed as crazy even though your intelligence could surpass anything you still would be treated as inferior due to your unsual behavior. Humans have always been afraid of and have wanted to destroy everything they don't understand its in our nature, hundereds of animal species dead because they were wierd to us. the quality of Genuis mean you have to be intelligent and imaginative. intelligence only comes through curiousity and a will to understand more i think as the more intelligent we get the more we question and therefore the more we know the more we feel like we don't know much. The more you learn the more you question and some are so full of questions and creativity they can't handle it. Fortunately this isn't the fate of every smart(curious) person. Always question everything i know it gets hard to be in amongst infinte questions and few answers but that is a fact of life and no one can say they truly understand what it is to be alive. Every answer to the big questions is a lie made up by what we think we understand but some lies are closer to the truth then others. So the abilty to be a genius is to be smart and to be a smart is being a good liar. Don't ask how smart someone else is instead ask, how good of a liar are they?

some of the deemed craziest people to ever exsist were later named genius

The only way genius can be differentiated from insanity is by the measure of success.

i agree athiest, and those that fail or can't play by the rules are crazy. even hittler was a genius i hate the man buti have to give him the credit for being a genius, but he got what he deserved. galieo, copernicus, christopher columbus,picasso were all "crazy"

Hey there Lotus ,

IMO it really depends on WHO sets the rules and parameters of IQ tests ? What entitles one to determine that anyway ?

sama

well im only 14, so i dont think i am classified as a genius yet. they say when you are a genius you get so caught up with everything that you completly lose your mind in others words crazy, insane, wacko ets, mabe its because this person is thinking so much at a time, that they dont know weather something is real or even if there real, because they think soo much and they have so many ideas, that the brain, the mind can not hold that much, i think that maked you a genius.

IQ tests measure your abilities in math and english etc. The parameters are set by people who are WAY smarter then you so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

not all iq tests are accurate at measuring someones intelligence, it merely test your aquired knowlendge and ability to adapt. what if the person was extremely gifted in art yet bad in math and english then he couldn't even get a high score on it, there is more to intelligence then math and english, math and science are are considered the subjects of the smartest people in the world, what of art, spirituality, history and linguistic studies are they ment to be nothing, taken for granted? science and math give comfort to growing minds that there are answers to everything, what you still wonder how this happens? then here take these variables and times them by the speed of light and square them. Sorry folks thats not the answer for everything some things math and science can't explain due to the limits of our mind the things we can't comprehend we fear the most. so if if some asks you what you are you afraid of say i don't know but it scares me, and that is normal.the answer for everything big is another question.

I think being a genius makes someone different from the majority of other people. Therefore people might look at geniuses as being 'odd'. So being a genius has it's pros and cons. If I had children I would not want them to have high IQs as this would make them different and 'odd'.

What is the definition of genius you require is someone who is the best in all subjects or is it a person who may be a genius in one subject. Obviously not all subjects are covered in a standard IQ test. Yes they cover the things like maths and english some even go as far as history and geography but what about the car mechanic down the road who can fix and diagnose perfectly every time is he not a genius as well or the carpenter who can make anything from wood these subjects are not in any quiz but genius can be found in any trade or skill that any person may have. So in summary everyone can be a genius in their own field but maybe average in other things.