Missing the point of life.

What do these people have in common?: George Clooney, Hugh Grant, Jennifer Aniston, Ricky Gervais, Cameron Diaz, Winona Ryder, Eva Mendes, Jessica Biel, Helen Mirren, Margaret Cho, Jacqueline Bisset, Janeane Garofalo, Jay Leno, Kim Cattrall, Kylie Minogue, Lara Flynn Boyle, Opray Winfrey, Renee Zellwegger and Robbie Williams.
Have a think. What is the common trait?

You probably thought: “they are all “stars””. Well, yes…but that is not what I am reaching after. Each of the famous people named is child-less. They are not parents and except for one (Hugh Grant), have never expressed any interest in having a child. Hugh Grant began to mutter about fatherhood as a possibility at 49…but almost two years have passed and he has yet to do anything about it.

From my point of view, each of these famous people is missing the point of life. It is almost certain that none of them will have any children, in life. When they die, their uniqueness, such as it is, will die with them. None of the particular elements that went up to make their individual gifts will be passed on. They will be completely lost, as if they had never been (except for media records). In a very real sense, these people, at whom most of us look up to, as if they are outrageously “successful” are each, in actual fact, complete failures, in the only sense that really counts: in evolutionary terms. The four and half billion year chain of life, that gave rise to them – an unbroken chain of succession – ends with them. They are thus, total failures. They are the end-stop, of all the multibillion year striving that engendered them. There is something terribly tragic in that. Of course, what is most tragic is that none of them seem to realize it. They are too superficial, too concerned with their “personal freedom”, to understand what they are doing, or what they are losing.

I do not have success on the scale of any of these famous names. Yet, in another sense, I am far more successful than any of them. I am a successful parent, with three unique children. That is a kind of success that, in my eyes, outshines all that they have achieved in their media-hyped worlds. If I am fortunate and my children go on to have children, and their children, children and so on, then I shall have descendants spreading out through time, into the far future. Those famous names, however, will nothing behind but their names. Which is worth more…a legion of children…or a name? Life is ever greater than a word – whatever those famous people might think, now. Then again, it is possible that I will leave a name, as well as my children and grandchildren in this world. I might leave both types of legacy. That type of dual success is forever barred to Hollywood’s childless couples.

The common man might not see my life as “successful” as a Hollywood star – but in the way that really counts, I am far more successful, and accomplished. My life is lived with an understanding of the true purpose of life – theirs is not. I have given life to the world…but all they have given is entertainment. Set against each other, side by side, a life of entertainment does seem rather trivial by comparison. They have chosen a life free of substance, rich in triviality and fleeting sensation. They have set themselves free of children, so that they are “free” to enjoy themselves the better. Now, that is a choice we can all make – to choose pleasure over parenthood – but pleasure is always a fleeting thing, that needs to be forever sought again – parenthood is forever, or at least for life. It is not difficult to see, for me, at least, which, ultimately has the greater value.

So, which would you rather be: a Hollywood star, who is forever childless, or a parent of several adorable children? Would you choose the spotlight, or parenthood?

Posted by Valentine Cawley

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Life purpose for a genius.

Someone arrived on my blog today with the search terms: "What should a genius do with their life?"

This is an interesting question - not only for the question itself, but for why it might have been asked.

The notion of genius connotes creativity and originality. Bound up in the idea of genius is the understanding that such a person is capable of doing something unique, something which no other could do, at that time, and place, in History. Therefore, the obvious answer to the question is that the genius must do what only the genius can do.

Yet, it might not be entirely clear. It is possible to be a person of many gifts and not know which one to adhere to, which one to express. There are, here, no clear answers. We each have lives presently circumscribed by a finite number of years. I would say that the task of a polymathic genius must be to choose worthy things to do, at each stage of life, that appeal to the person enough to actually carry them out, at those times. Thus, the matters to which the genius gives attention may change over time - as they did with Leonardo da Vinci, the archtype of all polymathic geniuses. Yet, though his interests and focus evolved over time, there was always Art present in his life, in some way. So, although he did change activities, he also maintained interests for the long term.

A genius must look at themselves and ask: what is it that I can best do? What can I contribute which no other (or perhaps few others) can? It is in answering these questions, that a purpose may be found.

I think a genius must never be tempted to succumb to the easy option. By this I mean do not be led into a conventional life of highly rewarding jobs that do not allow the application of genius. There are many such jobs. The professions abound with them. Yet, in most instances, such roles do not allow the genius to truly express their gifts. There is something of the traditional about these roles.

The genius must first answer the question: who am I? For therein will lie the answer to the question of "What must I do?" Then the genius must find a place in society that allows that activity to occur. It may in fact be, as with many geniuses, that there is NO place in society that will allow that activity to occur. By this I mean that only isolation and a solitary life will allow the intended activity to unfold and become. If that is the case, the genius must make the choice between the intended activity and a more social, "normal" life. That is often not an easy choice and perhaps many who could have contributed in some way, choose not to, when faced with the sacrifices that would be entailed.

Another matter to ponder is this: is the person, in question, actually a genius in the first place? By this I mean by what measure has this description been arrived at? If the measurement is one of IQ alone, I would suggest that that, in itself, is not enough to ensure that the description is accurate. The reason for this, as I have detailed in prior posts, is that genius invokes many more qualities than are encompassed by IQ. There are many people of high IQ who do not seem to manifest genius in the course of their lives. Correspondingly, there are people of more modest IQ (such as the fabled physicist Richard P. Feynman, whose IQ was measured in youth at just 126), who DO demonstrate genius. Therefore there is more at work, than just IQ.

If however, the label of genius is appropriate, and not based on a misunderstanding of what a genius is, I would say that the most important thing of all, is not to waste the ability. Do something: any expression of the gift, is better than no expression. The chosen expression of genius may not be ideal, it may not be the best that the person could do - but it is better to begin expressing the quality of genius, than to leave it forever postponed.

Genius is so rare, that no person of genius should go unfulfilled. So, if you are a genius - get creating!

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and no months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and five months, and Tiarnan, twenty-two months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)