If we find somebody to be a genius, we tend to put them on a pedestal. We worship them in their own little Pantheon and are always trying to find out what makes them special. Richard Avedon, Steven Meisel, James Nachtwey, and countless others are adored and followed by many. But what makes a genius?
After interviewing friends and family, it turns out that a genius is supposedly of above-average ability, and that you might have to be born one. Sorry to all of us regular mortals.
The first Wikipedia search yields similar results concerning the ability, but leaves the natal character of it untouched.
A genius is a person who displays exceptional intellectual ability, creative productivity, universality in genres or originality [...]. There is no scientifically precise definition of genius, and the question of whether the notion itself has any real meaning has long been a subject of debate, although psychologists are converging on a definition that emphasizes creativity and eminent achievement.
An additional Wikipedia search reveals something else: the mythological meaning of the word genius:
In Roman religion, the genius is the individual instance of a general divine nature that is present in every individual person, place, or thing.
A genius was seen as a kind of guardian angel that would follow you around from your birth to your death.
At least it now seems that everybody has the innate chance to be a genius, and the above video by The School of Life shows you the way to becoming one.
My favorite genius is Wile E. Coyote...
But he never catches Road Runner. <beep!> <beep!>