I know prodigies are a legit phenomenon but I think we overrate them. We tend to be in awe of the singular, the outlier, the exceptional, to the point of underrating collaborative genius, relationships that are symbiotic.

And what's that saying? 'We stand on the shoulders of giants' ...

I think geniuses are everywhere, we are just biased toward certain specialties / cults of personality.

I suspect IQ tests just establish the people who know how to answer IQ tests. I can get high results in IQ tests and that's a nice ego stroke but really? I haven't come up with any startling theories. None anyone rates anyway! Think there are people of exceptional mental capacity, though I'd like to see the concept of what is intelligence and genuis being broadened. For instance, I think animals are 'intelligent' in ways humans generally refuse to recognise, as it would get in the way of our present construct of superiority. And yes I agree if someone had the time to focus on abstract concepts or that capacity was cultivated, they could develop maybe exceptional ability. I don't think it's purely an innate thing and it's certainly not static, i think we build mental circuits as we come to understand stuff. Likewise, I think ability can fall away if not used.

I always saw genius as more of a spiritual thing than an intellectual thing. I think a genius is just a channel for gods genius. And even then it's a very minute portion of it.

I also asked him it he thought high iq and high quirk went hand in hand...he thought they were separate things - not related.

He went on to say that if he was supported, and had a lab where he could sit and do math all day, he would probably come up with things that would have people consider him a genius, but as it is, he's a truck driver.

I think this is often why people who are already well off, score higher and accomplish more. It's because they are supported when others are not.