Spirit and success.
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An Introduction
SPIRIT AND SUCCESS
Geniuses are few and far between!
It has been already proved that genes have nothing to do with genes. Even the home atmosphere may or may not contribute the achievements of a person.
Surprisingly even physical challenges and mental disabilities did not seem to dampen their spirit to succeed!
An ordinary man may accept his lot, wallow in self pity, demand sympathy from everyone in his circle and become a parasite for life.
But those persons were determined to win in spite of every physical challenge and restriction placed on them by the cruel hands of Fate.
In this thread we will look into a few of those great men and women who have risen above their disabilities and made an indelible mark in the history of human achievements - a sheer success due to their indomitable spirit.
SPIRIT AND SUCCESS
Geniuses are few and far between!
It has been already proved that genes have nothing to do with genes. Even the home atmosphere may or may not contribute the achievements of a person.
Surprisingly even physical challenges and mental disabilities did not seem to dampen their spirit to succeed!
An ordinary man may accept his lot, wallow in self pity, demand sympathy from everyone in his circle and become a parasite for life.
But those persons were determined to win in spite of every physical challenge and restriction placed on them by the cruel hands of Fate.
In this thread we will look into a few of those great men and women who have risen above their disabilities and made an indelible mark in the history of human achievements - a sheer success due to their indomitable spirit.
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#1. John Milton
John Milton (9th December 1608-8th November 1674) was an English poet, an author and a civil servant for the Common Wealth of England. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost which earned him the praise as the greatest English author and poet!
This Magnum Opus of blank verses was composed by Milton-after he had become blind! He composed this great piece of work through dictations to a series of aids in his employment.
This is a feat by any standard, considering his blindness! He would compose the verses in his head all night and dictate them to his aides the next morning.He became blind in 1652 but went on writing despite his problems.
His prose as well as poetry reflect his deep convictions. He wrote on the contemporary issues as well. He could write in Latin and Italian as well as he did in English! He had earned an international reputation during his life time-to become a living legend!
Once Paradise Lost was published, Milton was recognized as a great epic poet. His influence continued to linger on the poets living in the 18th and 19th centuries!
He is considered to be greater than even William Shakespeare! All this was achieved despite his loss of eye sight and dependency on the others around him!
Visalakshi Ramani
John Milton (9th December 1608-8th November 1674) was an English poet, an author and a civil servant for the Common Wealth of England. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost which earned him the praise as the greatest English author and poet!
This Magnum Opus of blank verses was composed by Milton-after he had become blind! He composed this great piece of work through dictations to a series of aids in his employment.
This is a feat by any standard, considering his blindness! He would compose the verses in his head all night and dictate them to his aides the next morning.He became blind in 1652 but went on writing despite his problems.
His prose as well as poetry reflect his deep convictions. He wrote on the contemporary issues as well. He could write in Latin and Italian as well as he did in English! He had earned an international reputation during his life time-to become a living legend!
Once Paradise Lost was published, Milton was recognized as a great epic poet. His influence continued to linger on the poets living in the 18th and 19th centuries!
He is considered to be greater than even William Shakespeare! All this was achieved despite his loss of eye sight and dependency on the others around him!
Visalakshi Ramani
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#2. Leonhard Euler
Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) was a Swiss mathematician and Physicist. He is famous for his work in Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Optics and Astronomy.
Euler had worked in almost all the areas of mathematics namely Geometry, Calculus, Trigonometry, Algebra and Number Theory. His works in Continuum Physics and Lunar Theory are famous.
Euler’s eye sight worsened through out mathematical career! He suffered from a near fatal fever in 1735. After three years he became blind in the right eye. Later he suffered cataract in his left eye and became totally blind in 1766.
But his physical conditions hardly affected his productivity. His skill for mental calculations and his photographic memory more than compensated his visual impairment.
With the aid of his scribes, his productivity actually increased! In 1775, he was producing one mathematical paper ever week, on an average!
Euler has been honored by several countries for his contributions to the world of Mathematics and Physics.
Old Swiss 10 Franc notes bear his picture. Former Soviet Union released a stamp in 1957, commemorating his 250th birthday. Former German Democratic Republic released a stamp on Euler’s 200th death anniversary.
Visalakshi Ramani
Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) was a Swiss mathematician and Physicist. He is famous for his work in Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Optics and Astronomy.
Euler had worked in almost all the areas of mathematics namely Geometry, Calculus, Trigonometry, Algebra and Number Theory. His works in Continuum Physics and Lunar Theory are famous.
Euler’s eye sight worsened through out mathematical career! He suffered from a near fatal fever in 1735. After three years he became blind in the right eye. Later he suffered cataract in his left eye and became totally blind in 1766.
But his physical conditions hardly affected his productivity. His skill for mental calculations and his photographic memory more than compensated his visual impairment.
With the aid of his scribes, his productivity actually increased! In 1775, he was producing one mathematical paper ever week, on an average!
Euler has been honored by several countries for his contributions to the world of Mathematics and Physics.
Old Swiss 10 Franc notes bear his picture. Former Soviet Union released a stamp in 1957, commemorating his 250th birthday. Former German Democratic Republic released a stamp on Euler’s 200th death anniversary.
Visalakshi Ramani
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# 3. Beethoven
Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is considered to be the most influential composers of all time!
Beethoven’s hearing began to deteriorate when he was at the pinnacle of his success. Yet he continued to compose, perform and conduct concerts even after he became totally deaf!
Beethoven was baptized on 17 December 1770, in Bonn. His father was his first music teacher. He also learned from the other local teachers. His talent was promising even when he was a mere child. He gave his first public performance in March 1778, when he was a mere child seven years old!
When his mother died in 1787, he had to take care of his two younger brothers and alcoholic father. However he continued to write several compositions with growing maturity and style. His works were not published then!
In his early twenties he moved to Vienna, settled there and studied to become a virtuoso pianist. He did not set out to establish himself as a composer right away. He studied under Haydn and also took violin lessons from another master.
Beethoven’s first performance in Vienna was in March 1795. It was then that he published his first composition “Piano trios Opus”.
His compositions of First six string quartets, The First and The Second Symphonies made him the most famous composer after Haydn and Mozart.
Around 1796, he began to lose his hearing. He suffered from “Tinnitus”, a ringing sound in his ears. He could no longer appreciate music nor can he take part in conversations.The cause of his deafness was not known.
By the time he wrote his Ninth Symphony, he was completely deaf! However he continued to compose music and play piano!
His determination to succeed was so great that it overcame all the physical obstacles. Indomitable Spirit always overcomes physical challenges and succeeds!
Visalakshi Ramani
Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is considered to be the most influential composers of all time!
Beethoven’s hearing began to deteriorate when he was at the pinnacle of his success. Yet he continued to compose, perform and conduct concerts even after he became totally deaf!
Beethoven was baptized on 17 December 1770, in Bonn. His father was his first music teacher. He also learned from the other local teachers. His talent was promising even when he was a mere child. He gave his first public performance in March 1778, when he was a mere child seven years old!
When his mother died in 1787, he had to take care of his two younger brothers and alcoholic father. However he continued to write several compositions with growing maturity and style. His works were not published then!
In his early twenties he moved to Vienna, settled there and studied to become a virtuoso pianist. He did not set out to establish himself as a composer right away. He studied under Haydn and also took violin lessons from another master.
Beethoven’s first performance in Vienna was in March 1795. It was then that he published his first composition “Piano trios Opus”.
His compositions of First six string quartets, The First and The Second Symphonies made him the most famous composer after Haydn and Mozart.
Around 1796, he began to lose his hearing. He suffered from “Tinnitus”, a ringing sound in his ears. He could no longer appreciate music nor can he take part in conversations.The cause of his deafness was not known.
By the time he wrote his Ninth Symphony, he was completely deaf! However he continued to compose music and play piano!
His determination to succeed was so great that it overcame all the physical obstacles. Indomitable Spirit always overcomes physical challenges and succeeds!
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#4. Braille
Louis Braille (1809-1852) was a blind Frenchman who devised The Braille System, used by the blind people to read and write! Each Braille character consists of six dot positions in two columns of three dots in each.
Braille system was based on the silent mode of communication in the dark, called the Night Writing. It was developed by Charles Barbier to meet Napoleon’s demand for military use.
Barbier’s system had 12 raised dots and a number of dashes in addition. The soldiers found it so complicated to learn that it was eventually rejected by the military.
Braille could identify the defects in Barbier’s system and set them right. Braille reduced the number of dots from 12 to 6.
This made the system easier and faster to read. An alphabet can be read by the touch of a finger tip, without having to move it along.
This revolutionized the written communication for all the blind! Braille system has been adapted for every known language.
Braille became blind at the age of three when he accidentally poked his eye with a stitching awl, one of tools used by his father-who was a saddle maker. The injury got infected and went blind. The other eye also went blind because of sympathetic ophthalmia.
At the age 10, Braille earned a scholarship to the National Institute for the Blind in Paris. He was a bright and creative student and became a talented Cellist and an Organist, while at school.
Braille was well respected by his pupils. However his writing system was not taught in his own Institute during his life time. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 43.
Braille’s system of writing was officially recognized only in 1854, two years after his death! Sadly very few persons are lucky enough to get recognition in their own life time!
Mastering Braille requires professional training and relentless practice. Designer Hyung Jin Lim has developed the Braille Interpreter. It consists of a single finger glove, a Blue tooth headphone and an interpreting software.
User may wear the finger glove and move his finger over the Braille alphabets.The reading material is transferred to the head phone as voice date through the Blue tooth.
Visalakshi Ramani
Louis Braille (1809-1852) was a blind Frenchman who devised The Braille System, used by the blind people to read and write! Each Braille character consists of six dot positions in two columns of three dots in each.
Braille system was based on the silent mode of communication in the dark, called the Night Writing. It was developed by Charles Barbier to meet Napoleon’s demand for military use.
Barbier’s system had 12 raised dots and a number of dashes in addition. The soldiers found it so complicated to learn that it was eventually rejected by the military.
Braille could identify the defects in Barbier’s system and set them right. Braille reduced the number of dots from 12 to 6.
This made the system easier and faster to read. An alphabet can be read by the touch of a finger tip, without having to move it along.
This revolutionized the written communication for all the blind! Braille system has been adapted for every known language.
Braille became blind at the age of three when he accidentally poked his eye with a stitching awl, one of tools used by his father-who was a saddle maker. The injury got infected and went blind. The other eye also went blind because of sympathetic ophthalmia.
At the age 10, Braille earned a scholarship to the National Institute for the Blind in Paris. He was a bright and creative student and became a talented Cellist and an Organist, while at school.
Braille was well respected by his pupils. However his writing system was not taught in his own Institute during his life time. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 43.
Braille’s system of writing was officially recognized only in 1854, two years after his death! Sadly very few persons are lucky enough to get recognition in their own life time!
Mastering Braille requires professional training and relentless practice. Designer Hyung Jin Lim has developed the Braille Interpreter. It consists of a single finger glove, a Blue tooth headphone and an interpreting software.
User may wear the finger glove and move his finger over the Braille alphabets.The reading material is transferred to the head phone as voice date through the Blue tooth.
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#5. Thomas Alva Edison
Edison (February 1847- October 1931) was an American inventor, scientist and a businessman. His numerous inventions changed the face of the world and the living style of the people in it! He is one of the greatest inventors in human history. He holds 1093 U.S patents and many more in U.K, France and Germany.
According to Edison “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. His life is a good example that proves his statement.
Edison was born as the seventh and last child of his parents in Milan, Ohio, in 1847. While at school, his mind used to wander! His teacher thought that his mind was “addled”-meaning that his mind was confused and mixed up. Soon his three months of official schooling came to an end!
Only his mother had unshakable faith and trust in his intelligence. She home schooled him! Edison used to recall later,”My mother was the making of me. She was so true and so sure of me and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint”.
Edison developed hearing problem at a very early age! The cause of his deafness was the scarlet fever he had suffered from and the recurring middle ear infections which were not treated properly.
His deafness did not interfere with his abilities and he went on inventing more and more things- which we just take for granted today!
Truly his 99% perspiration had overcome his all possible hurdles in his life!
Visalakshi Ramani
Edison (February 1847- October 1931) was an American inventor, scientist and a businessman. His numerous inventions changed the face of the world and the living style of the people in it! He is one of the greatest inventors in human history. He holds 1093 U.S patents and many more in U.K, France and Germany.
According to Edison “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. His life is a good example that proves his statement.
Edison was born as the seventh and last child of his parents in Milan, Ohio, in 1847. While at school, his mind used to wander! His teacher thought that his mind was “addled”-meaning that his mind was confused and mixed up. Soon his three months of official schooling came to an end!
Only his mother had unshakable faith and trust in his intelligence. She home schooled him! Edison used to recall later,”My mother was the making of me. She was so true and so sure of me and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint”.
Edison developed hearing problem at a very early age! The cause of his deafness was the scarlet fever he had suffered from and the recurring middle ear infections which were not treated properly.
His deafness did not interfere with his abilities and he went on inventing more and more things- which we just take for granted today!
Truly his 99% perspiration had overcome his all possible hurdles in his life!
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#6. Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. His works are famous for their vivid colors and deep emotional impact. Yet he had suffered from deep anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, throughout his short life span of 37 years!
Van Gogh got very little appreciation for his works when he was alive. He became world famous only posthumously! Today he is considered as the one of the main contributors of Modern Art and one of the greatest painters of all time!
He started painting only in his late twenties! He had very little formal training and was in reality a self taught artist! His best paintings were produced in the last two years of his life. He had produced over 900 paintings and 1100 drawings and sketches!
His early works have only somber earth tones as opposed to the vivid colors used in his later works!
Van Gogh was born on 30 March in 1853, in Southern Netherlands. As a child he was very serious, silent and thoughtful. He suffered from recurring episodes of mental illness throughout his life but the episodes became more and more pronounced during the last few years of his life!
He was either unwilling to paint or unable to paint! This would make him greatly depressed. On 27 July 1890, he walked into a field and shot himself in the chest. He survived the bullet only to die two days later!
His works seem to reflect the state of his mind, at the time of painting them. Some are somber and sober. Others show optimism, hope and a desire to become normal. Some others are downright bleak, showing utter despair and hopelessness!
By mid 20th Century Van Gogh had been posthumously recognized as one of the greatest painters of the world!
Van Gogh has created 37 self portraits between 1886 and 1889! His self portrait without beard is one of the costliest paintings in the world. It was sold for an astronomical sum of 71.5 million $ in New York in 1998!
Whether his madness actually helped him to draw pictures with greater emotional impact or whether he would have been a greater artist minus his mental problems, is a subject fit for debate!
Visalakshi Ramani
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. His works are famous for their vivid colors and deep emotional impact. Yet he had suffered from deep anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, throughout his short life span of 37 years!
Van Gogh got very little appreciation for his works when he was alive. He became world famous only posthumously! Today he is considered as the one of the main contributors of Modern Art and one of the greatest painters of all time!
He started painting only in his late twenties! He had very little formal training and was in reality a self taught artist! His best paintings were produced in the last two years of his life. He had produced over 900 paintings and 1100 drawings and sketches!
His early works have only somber earth tones as opposed to the vivid colors used in his later works!
Van Gogh was born on 30 March in 1853, in Southern Netherlands. As a child he was very serious, silent and thoughtful. He suffered from recurring episodes of mental illness throughout his life but the episodes became more and more pronounced during the last few years of his life!
He was either unwilling to paint or unable to paint! This would make him greatly depressed. On 27 July 1890, he walked into a field and shot himself in the chest. He survived the bullet only to die two days later!
His works seem to reflect the state of his mind, at the time of painting them. Some are somber and sober. Others show optimism, hope and a desire to become normal. Some others are downright bleak, showing utter despair and hopelessness!
By mid 20th Century Van Gogh had been posthumously recognized as one of the greatest painters of the world!
Van Gogh has created 37 self portraits between 1886 and 1889! His self portrait without beard is one of the costliest paintings in the world. It was sold for an astronomical sum of 71.5 million $ in New York in 1998!
Whether his madness actually helped him to draw pictures with greater emotional impact or whether he would have been a greater artist minus his mental problems, is a subject fit for debate!
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#7. Helen Keller
Helen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, a political activist and a lecturer. What made this a great feat was the fact that she was both blind and deaf!
Helen was not born blind and deaf. When she was 19 months old, she contracted a disease which left her both blind and deaf. It could have been an attack of scarlet fever or meningitis!
She was able to communicate with Martha-the family cook’s six year old daughter. By the time Helen was seven years old, she had more than 60 signs to communicate with her family.
Twenty years old Anna Sullivan-herself a visually impaired person-became Helen’s instructor, governess, friend and companion for life!
Anna began to teach her to communicate by spelling a word in Helen’s palm and letting her touch the same object with her other hand!
In 1904, Helen became the first deaf and blind person to earn the degree of Bachelor of Art. She was 24 years old then.
Helen wrote and published several articles and twelve books. She traveled widely and spent much of her time in raising funds for the American Foundation for the Blind.
Helen was the most admired person of the 20th Century. On September 14, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom-one of the two highest civilian awards of U.S.A. In 1965, she was elected to the National Woman’s Hall of Fame at New York World Fair.
It is amazing how any blind and deaf person could overcome her physical challenges to rise to such a height-which even normal healthy people are unable to do!
Visalakshi Ramani
Helen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, a political activist and a lecturer. What made this a great feat was the fact that she was both blind and deaf!
Helen was not born blind and deaf. When she was 19 months old, she contracted a disease which left her both blind and deaf. It could have been an attack of scarlet fever or meningitis!
She was able to communicate with Martha-the family cook’s six year old daughter. By the time Helen was seven years old, she had more than 60 signs to communicate with her family.
Twenty years old Anna Sullivan-herself a visually impaired person-became Helen’s instructor, governess, friend and companion for life!
Anna began to teach her to communicate by spelling a word in Helen’s palm and letting her touch the same object with her other hand!
In 1904, Helen became the first deaf and blind person to earn the degree of Bachelor of Art. She was 24 years old then.
Helen wrote and published several articles and twelve books. She traveled widely and spent much of her time in raising funds for the American Foundation for the Blind.
Helen was the most admired person of the 20th Century. On September 14, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom-one of the two highest civilian awards of U.S.A. In 1965, she was elected to the National Woman’s Hall of Fame at New York World Fair.
It is amazing how any blind and deaf person could overcome her physical challenges to rise to such a height-which even normal healthy people are unable to do!
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#8. F. D. Roosevelt
Franklin.D.Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd President on U.S.A.
He was elected four times for this prestigious office continuously and served from 1933 to 1945. He is the only President who has served for more than two terms of office.
While he was on vacation at Campobello Island in 1921, he contacted an illness which left him completely paralyzed from waist down. He could never accept the fact that he was paralyzed for life!
He sought every possible cure ranging from electric current to ultraviolet rays; from massages to mineral baths-anything that could cure his paralysis, make his atrophied legs stronger and revitalize his weakened muscles!
He had to convince the public that he was getting better-if he wanted to run for a public office. Fitting his legs and hip with iron braces, he taught himself to walk short distances, with the help of a cane.
In private and when alone by himself, he would use a wheel chair, after making sure that no one could see him in it. In Public he would stand upright supported on one side by one of his sons or aides. A special car designed with hand controls gave him greater mobility.
He led the U.S.A efficiently at the height of its economic crisis and at the depths of The Great Depression. His combination of Optimism and Activism revived the National Spirit.
Working closely with Winston Churchill and Stalin in leading the Allies against Germany and Japan, he died just before the Allied emerged victorious in the World War II!
Visalakshi Ramani
Franklin.D.Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd President on U.S.A.
He was elected four times for this prestigious office continuously and served from 1933 to 1945. He is the only President who has served for more than two terms of office.
While he was on vacation at Campobello Island in 1921, he contacted an illness which left him completely paralyzed from waist down. He could never accept the fact that he was paralyzed for life!
He sought every possible cure ranging from electric current to ultraviolet rays; from massages to mineral baths-anything that could cure his paralysis, make his atrophied legs stronger and revitalize his weakened muscles!
He had to convince the public that he was getting better-if he wanted to run for a public office. Fitting his legs and hip with iron braces, he taught himself to walk short distances, with the help of a cane.
In private and when alone by himself, he would use a wheel chair, after making sure that no one could see him in it. In Public he would stand upright supported on one side by one of his sons or aides. A special car designed with hand controls gave him greater mobility.
He led the U.S.A efficiently at the height of its economic crisis and at the depths of The Great Depression. His combination of Optimism and Activism revived the National Spirit.
Working closely with Winston Churchill and Stalin in leading the Allies against Germany and Japan, he died just before the Allied emerged victorious in the World War II!
Visalakshi Ramani
OP
OP
#9. Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) is famous for formulating the Theory Of Relativity. He was awarded Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for discovering the Law of Photoelectric effect. Who would ever believe that as a child he was very slow in learning to talk!
Einstein was so very slow in learning to talk that his parents were greatly concerned about this and consulted a few doctors to make sure that he was a normal child.
His slow verbal development had its good points too! Unlike the other children who pester their parents with thousands of “Why” and “How” Einstein learned to think and figure out about the various curious things seen around, by himself.
He got a gift of compass needle at the age of 5. He was fascinated by the needle always pointing North, wherever and however it was placed. His fascination for magnetic field lasted through out his life.
He had the rare ability to think in terms of mental pictures rather than in mere words. He inferred more from the visual experiments performed in his imagination, than from those performed in the laboratory.
Einstein was a great theoretical physicist and philosopher. He is the best known scientist of all times. He published more than 300 scientific papers and more than 150 non scientific work. He wrote on Philosophical and political subject with equal ease.
Several European and American Universities conferred on him honorary Doctorate degrees for Science and Philosophy.
Einstein was so extraordinarily brilliant that his name is now synonymous with the word Genius. Was he the same person who in his childhood caused undue worry in the minds of his parents?
Visalakshi Ramani
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) is famous for formulating the Theory Of Relativity. He was awarded Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for discovering the Law of Photoelectric effect. Who would ever believe that as a child he was very slow in learning to talk!
Einstein was so very slow in learning to talk that his parents were greatly concerned about this and consulted a few doctors to make sure that he was a normal child.
His slow verbal development had its good points too! Unlike the other children who pester their parents with thousands of “Why” and “How” Einstein learned to think and figure out about the various curious things seen around, by himself.
He got a gift of compass needle at the age of 5. He was fascinated by the needle always pointing North, wherever and however it was placed. His fascination for magnetic field lasted through out his life.
He had the rare ability to think in terms of mental pictures rather than in mere words. He inferred more from the visual experiments performed in his imagination, than from those performed in the laboratory.
Einstein was a great theoretical physicist and philosopher. He is the best known scientist of all times. He published more than 300 scientific papers and more than 150 non scientific work. He wrote on Philosophical and political subject with equal ease.
Several European and American Universities conferred on him honorary Doctorate degrees for Science and Philosophy.
Einstein was so extraordinarily brilliant that his name is now synonymous with the word Genius. Was he the same person who in his childhood caused undue worry in the minds of his parents?
Visalakshi Ramani
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OP
# 10. John Forbes Nash
John Forbes Nash (born on June 13th, 1928) is a great American Mathematician, whose works have provided insight into the forces, which govern the chances and events in our daily lives.
Serving as a senior Research Mathematician in Princeton University, he shared the 1994 Nobel memorial prize in Economic Sciences with two other persons.
Nash began to show signs of extreme paranoia, while working in the M.I.T. His behavior became erratic and weird. He spoke of people who were putting his life in danger. He believed that an organization of men were chasing him and they were all wearing red ties.
He was admitted in Mac Lean Hospital in 1959 and the diagnosis was Paranoid Schizophrenia. When he was allowed to leave the hospital, he resigned his job from M.I.T and took his pension. Nash went to Europe seeking political asylum in France and East Germany-without any success. He tried to renounce his U.S citizenship!
Nash was again committed to the New Jersey Hospital in 1961. After 1970 he was never committed to any hospital. He refused to take any more medication!
Despite being wrecked physically and emotionally Nash has won several awards and world wide fame.
Nash was awarded the John Von Neumann Theory Prize for discovering his famous Nash Equilibria. He received the Leroy.P.Steele prize in 1999.
He shared the Nobel memorial prize for Economic Sciences in 1994, with two other persons. He was conferred honorary doctorates in 1999, 2003 and 2007 by various Universities.
Despite the psychological problems which threw his life out of gear, when he was at the prime of youth, John Nash has emerged victorious in his battle for survival and recognition.
Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash and his wife Alicia at the 74th annual Academy Awards in 2002. The couple died in a car accident on the New Jersey Turnpike Saturday 23rd May 2015.
Visalakshi Ramani
John Forbes Nash (born on June 13th, 1928) is a great American Mathematician, whose works have provided insight into the forces, which govern the chances and events in our daily lives.
Serving as a senior Research Mathematician in Princeton University, he shared the 1994 Nobel memorial prize in Economic Sciences with two other persons.
Nash began to show signs of extreme paranoia, while working in the M.I.T. His behavior became erratic and weird. He spoke of people who were putting his life in danger. He believed that an organization of men were chasing him and they were all wearing red ties.
He was admitted in Mac Lean Hospital in 1959 and the diagnosis was Paranoid Schizophrenia. When he was allowed to leave the hospital, he resigned his job from M.I.T and took his pension. Nash went to Europe seeking political asylum in France and East Germany-without any success. He tried to renounce his U.S citizenship!
Nash was again committed to the New Jersey Hospital in 1961. After 1970 he was never committed to any hospital. He refused to take any more medication!
Despite being wrecked physically and emotionally Nash has won several awards and world wide fame.
Nash was awarded the John Von Neumann Theory Prize for discovering his famous Nash Equilibria. He received the Leroy.P.Steele prize in 1999.
He shared the Nobel memorial prize for Economic Sciences in 1994, with two other persons. He was conferred honorary doctorates in 1999, 2003 and 2007 by various Universities.
Despite the psychological problems which threw his life out of gear, when he was at the prime of youth, John Nash has emerged victorious in his battle for survival and recognition.
Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash and his wife Alicia at the 74th annual Academy Awards in 2002. The couple died in a car accident on the New Jersey Turnpike Saturday 23rd May 2015.
Visalakshi Ramani
I do not know if intervention posts in this thread are allowed. If interventions are not allowed, please let me know so that I can delete this post.
Now coming to the underlined sentences of your post.
What is meant by genes have nothing to do with genes? Is it a typo ?
The second statement about an ordinary man wallowing in self pity etc. Isnt that a cliche' or rhetoric? We have billions and billions of ordinary people and we do not even have a demonstrable sample size to judge if they are wallowing in self pity or not. For all I know they also try to eke out their sustenance in the best way they possible can.
Will the purport of this message be reduced if this sentence is deleted or edited? This series is after all meant for ordinary folks, so why put him on the defensive at the start?
OP
OP
dear Mr. ZEE
Long time... No see!!
Welcome to any thread for a healthy discussion at any time.
That is the idea behind joining a forum on intellectuals.
I shall discuss about the Genes having nothing to do with the Genius
in my next post. It might take a few minutes utmost.
'Ordinary people' does not refer to any ordinary people.
It refers to those with physical challanges and / or mental disabilities.
Such people often become parasites for life -
living off the mercy of a rich, kind hearted relative.
I know that even the ordinary people who have NO such limitations in them struggle to make both the ends meet. Majority does not even know where the next meal will come from - if it really comes.
This series is to inspire and motivate people with special abilities to go on with life and not waste it wallowing in self pity.
Is it more acceptable to you now sir???
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Genius and Genes!
The people who have produced enduring works of art, music compositions and made significant discoveries in the fields of mathematics, Sciences and medicine are few and far between! Why? It is because Genius is a rare commodity!
Sir Francis Galton, a pioneer in the measurement of human intelligence, wanted to discover the role played by hereditary and environment in the making of a genius. Was genius a matter of hereditary? Logically, the best families sending their children to best schools are more likely to produce the best creative brains!
But genius does not run in families! It appears at the most unexpected and unlikely places. According to Shakespeare who came from an undistinguished family, ”Genius is not of genius born!”
E.T Bell examined the background of 28 of the world’s greatest mathematicians in his book “Men of Mathematics”. He found very little evidence of inherited ability. Most of the mathematicians came from families which had nothing to do with mathematics.
Fermat’s father was a leather merchant; Pascal’s father was a local judge; Bernoulli came from a family of traders; Euler’s father was a pastor; Laplace’s father was a farm laborer; Gauss was the son of a poor working class parents and Srinivasa Ramanujam came from a peasant stock.
Obviously we can breed race horses but not geniuses. Is creativity a by product of a high I.Q? Geniuses are clever people but all clever people are not geniuses. There is very little connection between high I.Q and creativity. Many geniuses had very poor academic achievements.
A person becomes a genius, since he thinks differently and divergently. He approaches a problem from different angles and shelves it temporarily. The incubation yields the desired results at the most unexpected moment.
A genius has a high motivation. He does not care for money of fame, but the work itself is his reward. Very often genius deviates from the established facts. For this reason the work of a genius is ignored, ridiculed, challenged and belittled by the intellectual establishment. Only much later he and his work get accepted and acclaimed.
Yes! Truly “Genius is not born out of genes.”
Visalakshi Ramani
The people who have produced enduring works of art, music compositions and made significant discoveries in the fields of mathematics, Sciences and medicine are few and far between! Why? It is because Genius is a rare commodity!
Sir Francis Galton, a pioneer in the measurement of human intelligence, wanted to discover the role played by hereditary and environment in the making of a genius. Was genius a matter of hereditary? Logically, the best families sending their children to best schools are more likely to produce the best creative brains!
But genius does not run in families! It appears at the most unexpected and unlikely places. According to Shakespeare who came from an undistinguished family, ”Genius is not of genius born!”
E.T Bell examined the background of 28 of the world’s greatest mathematicians in his book “Men of Mathematics”. He found very little evidence of inherited ability. Most of the mathematicians came from families which had nothing to do with mathematics.
Fermat’s father was a leather merchant; Pascal’s father was a local judge; Bernoulli came from a family of traders; Euler’s father was a pastor; Laplace’s father was a farm laborer; Gauss was the son of a poor working class parents and Srinivasa Ramanujam came from a peasant stock.
Obviously we can breed race horses but not geniuses. Is creativity a by product of a high I.Q? Geniuses are clever people but all clever people are not geniuses. There is very little connection between high I.Q and creativity. Many geniuses had very poor academic achievements.
A person becomes a genius, since he thinks differently and divergently. He approaches a problem from different angles and shelves it temporarily. The incubation yields the desired results at the most unexpected moment.
A genius has a high motivation. He does not care for money of fame, but the work itself is his reward. Very often genius deviates from the established facts. For this reason the work of a genius is ignored, ridiculed, challenged and belittled by the intellectual establishment. Only much later he and his work get accepted and acclaimed.
Yes! Truly “Genius is not born out of genes.”
Visalakshi Ramani
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More articles on people who have overcome their physical limitations
to excel in a world of cut throat competition will be posted later.
to excel in a world of cut throat competition will be posted later.
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Fresh articles as promised by me.
First of all we will concentrate on the
famous people with visual impairments!
First of all we will concentrate on the
famous people with visual impairments!
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#11. Galileo Galilei - (15 February 1564 - 8 January 1642)
Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, mathematician, physicist, and a great philosopher.
He is considered as being greatly responsible for the modern astronomical and scientific revolutions.
Some of his accomplishments include the tremendous improvements done to the existing telescope, the study of accelerated motion and his famous astronomical observations.
Galileo was the first to discover the four largest satellites of Jupiter. Later they were named as The Galilean moons in his honor.
Galileo had also improved compass design and eventually opposed the geocentric view which stated that Earth was in the center and all the heavenly bodies were revolving around it.
His sight started to deteriorate at the age of 68 years old and eventually leaded to
complete blindness.
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On second thoughts could cataract have been the cause of the
grand old men of the past becoming blind in an advanced age??? :decision:
Many of us would become blind too but the needle-in-the-eye-surgery!!! :hail:
grand old men of the past becoming blind in an advanced age??? :decision:
Many of us would become blind too but the needle-in-the-eye-surgery!!! :hail:
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Claude Monet
Claude Oscar Monet (November 14, 1840 - December 5, 1926) was a founder of French impressionist painting. He was the most consistent and prolific practitioner of this movement. The philosophy involved was expressing one's true perceptions of nature in landscape painting.
The term Impressionism is derived from the title of his painting Impression, Sunrise. His popularity and fame grew fast. By 1907 he had painted many well-known paintings, but by then he had his first problem with his eyesight.
He started to go blind. He still painted and his eyes got worse. He wouldn't stop painting until he was nearly blind. In the last decade of his life, Monet who was nearly blind, painted a group of large water lily murals (Nympheas).
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Some of the famous Water lily paintings of Monet.
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Some more colorful images too good breathtakingly to be paintings!
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Poetry brushed with colors instead of being written with ink! :clap2:
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234. IMPRESSIONISM
Impressionism was developed in France during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. These pieces of art were painted as if someone just took a quick look at the subject of the painting.
The paintings were usually in bold colors and did not have a lot of detail. The paintings in this style were usually outdoor scenes like landscapes.
The pictures were painted to look like they were shimmering.
https://visalakshiramani.wordpress.com/articles/styles-of-art/5-impressionism/
Impressionism was developed in France during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. These pieces of art were painted as if someone just took a quick look at the subject of the painting.
The paintings were usually in bold colors and did not have a lot of detail. The paintings in this style were usually outdoor scenes like landscapes.
The pictures were painted to look like they were shimmering.
https://visalakshiramani.wordpress.com/articles/styles-of-art/5-impressionism/
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