Why this topic?

I chose this topic simply because I find it rather interesting. Having read a lot about the brain in recent years, it was hard to decide between mental illness and genius. Mental illness is usually a problem with the brain, sometimes having to do with chemicals in the brain. At times, medication can fix this, but these illnesses can be debilitating. That is why I chose to focus on genius for my blog.

I saw a small video once explaining that many famous or successful people, often rather different than the average joe, had unique brains, describing men like Albert Einstein, whose brain had a unique structure, where a center for memory was in a different spot from most. It also showed that many of these people had a sharp memory, one much like that of an autistic person.

I also know that Mark Zuckerburg, the creator Facebook is among the list of Genius's  as well as Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga,) A co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, and mathematician Terence Tao. They were all part of a program through John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. The interesting thing about Genius is the fact that brilliant children are often born to average people and if given the right tools to nurture their intellect, often become the people to truly change the world.

I would like to know specifically why their brains are different. Why they get scholarships into Ivy League Universities, create insanely successful technology companies, or complete mathematics on a college entrance exam for material they have never learned. Why Albert Einstein would get lost in thought on a train and miss his stop, later requiring that he have his train stop pinned to him. Why their brains work differently? Why can't I do that? Perhaps I am smart, but not like they are. Or maybe why it happens at such a young age. Many of us never will reach such heights intellectually, while they are born with a magnificent brain and can teach graduate students how to program, because they are bored in the classes they are taking, at the college. And is there truly a social issue for children that attend college at say age twelve, or ten? Will it stunt or mess up their social development?

In an article I recently read, it said that many countries are focusing on helping educate the lowest performing students better, while the smarter more "genius" students are left to hopefully find their potential. Why is that? According to the article, people believe that the students can be successful on their own, but what scientists know and hope others continue to realize, is that these students requiring nurturing. This allows them to access programs and classes at a higher level. And is there a link to memory and autism like I previously mentioned? What about the rest of us, how does a genius child affect his or her siblings, their parents, or extended family.

When you think about it, really there are many sides to the issue. Is it ethical to allow a child to surpass her classmates or intern at a young age in a science lab? What about other areas. I mentioned Lady Gaga and reading that she was a genius made me realize and consider that smart people are not just good at Math, Science, and Technology, but can be insanely good at music, leadership, or politics.

As for how I will go about learning, I guess I will follow my curiosity. Right now I will definitely look into the link between autism and memory in relation to genius. Perhaps I will also look at the different geniuses present in our society, or the way to nurture and help these people. To legitimately find the knowledge, my first two sources will be, of course, be the internet and books, followed by magazines, like Scientific American Mind, and youtube even. I'm confident there are a few related TED talks. The goal would be to compare and contrast what each source says and how they are different and to draw up my own conclusions.

In conclusion, my hope with this blog is to learn as much as I can about genius and how that relates to the world at large. There are of course implications of having such brilliant minds around. I think the most important thing is to seek to understand genius and why it is important, what these people add to society, and why they are key to the continuation and growth of our society.