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cover of episode The Genius Myth, with Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci (Part Two)

The Genius Myth, with Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci (Part Two)

2025/7/1
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Armando Iannucci
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Helen Lewis
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Helen Lewis: 我认为被称为天才的人，尤其是男性，往往可以为所欲为，行为不端或对家人很糟糕。天才的光环常常掩盖了他们的缺点，使得他们可以逃避责任，对家人造成伤害。这种现象在历史上屡见不鲜，许多被誉为天才的人物在个人生活中却表现得自私、专横甚至虐待。我们需要反思这种对天才的盲目崇拜，更加关注他们的行为对周围人的影响。 Armando Iannucci: 我认为托尔斯泰就是一个很好的例子。他利用他的名声和地位，让他的家人服从他的每一个突发奇想。他的行为变得越来越古怪，他的家人不得不努力维护他的作品和名誉。作家的妻子或遗孀经常花费大量时间来维护他们的遗产，确保他们的作品得以出版和编目。这种现象在历史上屡见不鲜，许多被誉为天才的人物在个人生活中却表现得自私、专横甚至虐待。我们需要反思这种对天才的盲目崇拜，更加关注他们的行为对周围人的影响。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores how the label of "genius" allows individuals, mostly men, to escape accountability for misbehavior and poor treatment of their families. Examples include Tolstoy's demanding lifestyle and the controlling behavior of famous composers towards their wives.
  • The label of genius enables individuals to get away with unacceptable behavior.
  • Tolstoy's family suffered due to his whims.
  • Robert Schumann controlled Clara Schumann's career.
  • Gustav Mahler's treatment of Alma Mahler.
  • Elon Musk's alpha-male behavior as described by his ex-wife.
  • Einstein's poor treatment of his first wife, Mileva Marić.

Shownotes Transcript

The tortured poet. The rebellious scientist. The monstrous artist. The tech disruptor.

You can tell what a society values by who it labels as a genius. You can also tell who it excludes, who it enables, and what it is prepared to tolerate. Taking us from the Renaissance Florence of Leonardo da Vinci to the Florida rocket launches of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Helen Lewis joined us to unravel a word that we all use — without really questioning what it means.

In conversation with acclaimed satirist and screenwriter Armando Iannucci she drew from her new book 'The Genius Myth' to uncover the secret of the Beatles’ success, discuss how biographers should solve the ‘Austen Problem’ and reveal why Stephen Hawking thought IQ tests were for losers.

Lewis and Iannucci asked if the modern idea of genius — a class of special people — is distorting our view of the world.

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