Where Does Genius Come From?
Tracing talent to its origins probably isn't ever going to be a precise science, but there's a particular and pervasive brand of genetic determinism that butts its way into discussions, in scientific circles and in the media, about everything from health to intelligence to the roots of genius. According to author David Shenk, this line of argument leads us to make the wrong conclusions about human potential.
Tracing talent to its origins probably isn’t ever going to be a precise science, but there’s a particular and pervasive brand of genetic determinism that butts its way into discussions, in scientific circles and in the media, about everything from health to intelligence to the roots of genius. According to author David Shenk, this line of argument leads us to make the wrong conclusions about human potential. —KA
Your support is crucial...Salon:
David Shenk’s new book, “The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You’ve Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong,” is 300 pages long, and more than half of those pages are endnotes. You need to offer up a lot of evidence when your goal is to overturn a concept as commonplace as the idea that genes are the “blueprints” for both our physical bodies and our personalities. Above all, what Shenk wants to communicate is that “the whole concept of genetic giftedness turns out to be wildly off the mark — tragically kept afloat for decades by a cascade of misunderstandings and misleading metaphors.” Instead of acquiescing to the belief that talent is a quality we’re either born with or not, he wants us to understand that anyone can aspire to superlative achievement. Hard, persistent and focused work is responsible for greatness, rather than innate ability.
As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.
Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality beneath the headlines — without compromise.
Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.
Book Review
A Review of "Notes on Downtown" by writer, photographer and editor Désirée van Hoek.
“Prison Truth,” underlines the importance of inmates telling their own stories.
A new graphic biography may herald a revival of interest in the most perceptive Marxist critic of his time.
A new book shows how the activist's positions on issues like the Vietnam War and environmental justice helped move civil rights leaders left.
Roslyn Fuller's new book explains how to rescue our government from oligarchy.
A new book explores the legacy of a momentous 1965 debate about race in America.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.