The Creative Genius
Posted by deleted 10 years, 5 months ago to Philosophy
The Creative Genius
Far above the millions that come and pass away tower the pioneers, the men whose deeds and ideas cut out new paths for mankind. For the pioneering genius12 to create is the essence of life. To live means for him to create. The activities of these prodigious men cannot be fully subsumed under the praxeological concept of labor. They are not labor because they are for the genius not means, but ends in themselves. He lives in creating and inventing. For him there is not leisure, only intermissions of temporary sterility and frustration. His incentive is not the desire to bring about a result, but the act of producing it. The accomplishment gratifies him neither mediately nor immediately. It does not gratify him mediately because his fellow men at best are unconcerned about it, more often even greet it with taunts, sneers, and persecution. Many a genius could have used his gifts to render his life agreeable and joyful; he did not even consider such a possibility and chose the thorny path without hesitation. The genius wants to accomplish what he considers his mission, even if he knows that he moves toward his own disaster.
Von Mises, Human Action, "Action Within the World" (1966 ed., pg 139)
http://mises.org/Books/humanaction.pdf
Far above the millions that come and pass away tower the pioneers, the men whose deeds and ideas cut out new paths for mankind. For the pioneering genius12 to create is the essence of life. To live means for him to create. The activities of these prodigious men cannot be fully subsumed under the praxeological concept of labor. They are not labor because they are for the genius not means, but ends in themselves. He lives in creating and inventing. For him there is not leisure, only intermissions of temporary sterility and frustration. His incentive is not the desire to bring about a result, but the act of producing it. The accomplishment gratifies him neither mediately nor immediately. It does not gratify him mediately because his fellow men at best are unconcerned about it, more often even greet it with taunts, sneers, and persecution. Many a genius could have used his gifts to render his life agreeable and joyful; he did not even consider such a possibility and chose the thorny path without hesitation. The genius wants to accomplish what he considers his mission, even if he knows that he moves toward his own disaster.
Von Mises, Human Action, "Action Within the World" (1966 ed., pg 139)
http://mises.org/Books/humanaction.pdf
Throughout the centuries, there were men who took first steps down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision. The great creators - the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors - stood alone against the men of their time. Every new thought was opposed; every new invention was denounced. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered, and they paid. But they won.
No creator was prompted by a desire to please his brothers. His brothers hated the gift he offered.
His truth was his only motive.
His work was his only goal.
His work - not those who used it.
His creation - not the benefits others derived from it - the creation which gave form to his truth.
He held his truth above all things and against all men. He went ahead whether others agreed with him or not, with his integrity as his only banner. He served nothing and no one. He lived for himself. And only by living for himself was he able to achieve the things which are the glory of mankind. Such is the nature of achievement."
-- Howard Roark's "Courtroom Speech" in The Fountainhead.
The great artists of the Classical Era did not stand against their commissioners. Ever since Ortega y Gasset wrote "The Dehumanization of Art." everyone thinks all artists were romantic rebels. Such is not the case. Many lived quite within the restrictions of society and created some great art.
Because of the literary romantic ideal of E.T.A. Hoffman, we have come to think of artists and thinkers as outcasts. People think that if they behave like outcasts they will be artists. They also think that if anyone likes what they are doing that they are lesser artists and thinkers. But such is not the case.
The physicist Richard Fineman was asked about creativity and he said. "The creative scientists does what the creative artist does. He surrounds himself by mystery on three sides and takes a step towards the fourth."
Great quote. Definitely a keeper!
I think that the intention is somewhat more subtle. Over on the Objectivist site "Rebirth of Reason" their webmaster complained about this quotation, claiming that he is creative in all of his work. As a technical writer, I had to agree. Indeed, as Ayn Rand said, all work is an act of philosophy.
That is the reason why it is important to understand Rand (and Mises) on this point.
The first computers were not the Apple II or even the IBM 360 or even the ENIAC. Konrad Zuse built the first Turing-compliant computer in his parents' living room.
You are right: not all geniuses are rejected; and not all those who are rejected are geniuses - despite their own claims to the contrary. The fact remains that Shakespeare was lost for almost 200 years, Mozart for almost 100. Edison was a financial success, but Tesla was the real genius.
The curve ball pitch has perhaps three independent inventors. No one believed the first inventor, despite an actual physical demonstration. The examples would fill a book.
Yes, intelligent people do create new means of production or expression and yes they are commercially successful. Working for patrons, Mozart and Beethoven created beautiful music.
I had a graduate class in 2010, "Technology in Society/" Most professional inventors are not Gyro Gearloose types, but serial creators with portfolios of patents which they license or produce. That is true -- within a context. They accept as given the industrial manufacturing technology of their times, even as it may be genomics or 3-D printing or processing ores on Mars. All of that is wonderful. But it is not what Rand and Mises were talking about.
Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Mises drew special attention to the Creative Genius who is beyond what we expect, beyond what we CAN expect.
Yes and no. Once a post has been commented on, you can delete it from your personal "submitted" list but, it remains in the public list - hence the "deleted" in the "posted by."