Genius: A Short Summary And Analysis

Great Essays
Genius is Dissension On a gloomy day in 399 BC, a prolific philosopher lost his life through execution for daring to question moral character and believe differently from the state. In 1663, a dignified astronomer paced his home in solitude after being placed under house arrest for proposing the preposterous hypothesis that the Earth revolves around the sun. In the spring of 2013, thousands of people roamed through an art exhibit displayed at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The exhibit showcased the work of an artist who was once detained and threatened after creating a “controversial” piece of art made of 38 tons of steel scavenged from the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which resulted in the death of more than 5,000 children. …show more content…
However, these geniuses are not initially lauded and praised for their work; they are chastised, berated, arrested, beaten, and in the case of Socrates, put to death. The trials of misunderstood geniuses pose a crucial question to society: is the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and individuality worth the hardships of nonconformity? This question not only applies on the minute scale of a genius facing a strong opposition, like a government, but on a broader societal scale. When adolescents becomes a social outcast after their peers ostracize them for holding controversial opinions, it is likely they will lie or change in order to fit in with their peers. They believe this will make them happier, when in truth, it will not bring them the satisfaction they seek. Both the situations of famous men and “average” people further cement the question of whether or not it is worth it to be

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