“The psychical condition of men's minds may be compared with a set of bells close together, and so arranged that in the ordinary man a bell rings only when one beside it sounds, and the vibration lasts only a moment. In the genius, when a bell sounds it vibrates so strongly that it sets in action the whole series, and remains in action throughout life. The latter kind of movement often gives rise to extraordinary conditions and absurd impulses, that may last for weeks together and that form the basis of the supposed kinship of genius with insanity.” MenGivingMindKindMayWholeMomentsActionTogetherLastsFormSoundWeekConditionsMovementGeniusOrdinaryBasesRemainsSeriesExtraordinaryRingsAbsurdImpulseInsanityLatterBellsVibrationsKinshipOrdinary ManVibrate Author:Otto Weininger
“True majorities, in a TV-dominated and anti-intellectual age, may need sound bites and flashing lights and I am not against supplying such lures if they draw children into even a transient concern with science. But every classroom has one [Oliver] Sacks , one [Eric] Korn, or one [Jonathan] Miller , usually a lonely child with a passionate curiosity about nature, and a zeal that overcomes pressures for conformity. Do not the one in fifty deserve their institutions as well magic places, like cabinet museums, that can spark the rare flames of genius?” IfsNeedsWellsMayChildrenLightAgeSoundMagicTvsGeniusIntellectualDrawsDeserveConcernLonelyOvercomingPressureInstitutionsMajorityCuriosityPassionateFlamesFiftyConformityMuseumsBitesSparksClassroomZealCabinetsTransientEricLureSound BitesFlashing LightsLonely Child Book:Dinosaur in a haystack: reflections in natural history Source: Dinosaur in a haystack: reflections in natural history
“Some men at the approach of a dispute neigh like horses. Unless there be an argument, they think nothing is doing. Some talkers excel in the precision with which they formulate their thoughts, so that you get from them somewhat to remember; others lay criticism asleep by a charm. Especially women use words that are not words,--as steps in a dance are not steps,--but reproduce the genius of that they speak of; as the sound of some bells makes us think of the bell merely, whilst the church chimes in the distance bring the church and its serious memories before us.” ThinkingMenUseRememberSpeakSoundChurchMemoriesStepsSeriousGeniusApproachArgumentCriticismHorseLaysDistanceCharmBellsDisputesPrecisionTalkersChimes Author:Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The liberty of the press would be an empty sound, and no man would venture to write on any subject, however, pure his purpose, without an attorney at one elbow and a counsel at the other. From minds thus subdued by the fear of punishment, there could issue no works of genius to expand the empire of human reason.” MenWritingMindHumansReasonWould BeLawPurposeSoundLibertyIssuesSubjectsMediaCrimeGeniusPureSpeechEmptyConstitutionPressesPunishmentEmpiresVenturePersecutionAttorneyElbowsHuman Reason Author:Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine
“some genius of the South With blood-hot eyes and cane-lipped scented mouth, Surprised in making folk-songs from soul sounds.” SoulEyeSongSoundBloodGeniusMouthsHotSouthFolksFolk Songs Book:The Collected Poems of Jean Toomer Source: The Collected Poems of Jean Toomer
“Success in business does not depend upon genius. Any young man of ordinary intelligence who is normally sound and not afraid to work should succeed in spite of obstacles and handicaps if he plays the game fairly and keeps everlastingly at it.” IfsMenShouldDoePlaySuccessYoungGamesSoundDependsGeniusSucceedOrdinaryObstaclesYoung ManSpiteNot AfraidBusiness SuccessHandicaps Author:James Cash Penney