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DOES “MAD GENIUS” mean you’re mad, or a genius, or both? Turns out, some of the world’s greatest geniuses were arguably quite mad.
SIR ISAAC NEWTON (1642-1727) is universally known as a brilliant thinker. Some scientists even suggest he would have given Einstein a run for his money. Here’s a guy who invented calculus, explained universal gravitation, developed laws of motion and built the first telescope. Yet despite his remarkable achievements, Newton reportedly suffered from psychotic tendencies and violent mood swings. Some have even gone so far as to speculate he suffered from bipolar disorder. In all fairness, his father died before he was born, and he was separated from his mother between the ages of two and 11. Is it any wonder that the poor guy was a bit batty, given his traumatic childhood experience?
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) was clearly a musical genius. His passionate intensity and brilliant arrangements took instrumental music to a new level. But like Newton, Beethoven had a hard life. Raised by an abusive, alcoholic father, young Ludwig took responsibility for his struggling family by age 18. Adding to his tragedy was a gradual descent into deafness between the ages of 30 and 49, quite likely a result of his father’s merciless beatings. Remarkably, Beethoven composed some of his most respected work after losing his hearing. He apparently flirted with suicide, according to letters to his brothers. In his book, Diagnosing Genius, Francois Martin Mal suggests that Beethoven, too, may have suffered from bipolar depression.
EDGAR ALLAN POE (1809-1849) is perhaps best known for his poem, “The Raven,” but he wrote compelling horror and detective stories as well. His short story, “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” is often called the first modern detective story. Poe was certainly a skilled writer, but it is well documented that he had a drinking problem, and letters reveal that he also struggled with suicidal thoughts. The cause and circumstances surrounding his untimely death at 40 years of age are unknown, but based on her interpretation of Poe’s letters, Kay Redfield Jamison speculates that Poe was manic-depressive, a condition known today as (you guessed it) bipolar disorder.
VINCENT VAN GOGH (1853-1890), a genius in his own right, only gained popularity after his death. His paintings, notably “Starry Night,” are recognizable by their unique brushwork and expansive expression. Today van Gogh is considered among the greatest painters in history. Alas, van Gogh’s life was a tortured one. We all know the guy purportedly cut off part of his own ear. He also supposedly drank turpentine and tried to eat paint. Tragically, he committed suicide in 1890. In her book, Touched with Fire, Kay Redfield Jamison notes that van Gogh’s periods of greatest productivity appear to align with seasonal patterns of moods and psychosis.
JOHN FORBES NASH, JR. (1928- ) may ring a bell with anyone who has seen the award-winning film, “A Beautiful Mind.” Nash is the world-renowned mathematician who made significant contributions to the concept of game theory while struggling with bouts of paranoid schizophrenia. His brilliant theories can be applied to various fields, including economics. The U.S. Military even adopted tactics based on his ideas for use during the Cold War. Sadly, Nash experienced wild hallucinations and delusions. He heard voices, and apparently believed that major world figures were out to get him. Now major world figures honor him. In 1994, Nash received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
A FRIEND OF MINE (1962- ) recently confided to me that he is bipolar. Turns out, he is one of the most creative people I’ve ever met – a brilliant thinker, an accomplished businessman, and an artistic genius. He has founded four companies, headed up global luxury brands, even published a popular lifestyle and culture magazine. He is, like me, an idea guy. One of his dreams is to create a sanctuary for individuals with bipolar disorder and their families, and we recently discussed calling it The Equator Society, since the equator is halfway between both poles, a safe distance from either extreme.
While I've never been diagnosed as bipolar, Herbert D. Kelleher, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Southwest Airlines, once introduced me to a large gathering of airline executives as an idiot savant, a term that has fallen out of favor among the politically correct. "McClure's still working on the savant part," Kelleher harangued, "but he's got the idiot part down pat." Great minds think alike, Herb!
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