Genius
I never met a genius until i went to college at MIT in the late 1970s. I met a bunch of them in college and i have felt since then that genius and insanity sit right next to each other in the mind.
I was reminded of that the other night when i went to see a movie called My Architect.
My wife Joanne, the Gotham Gal, has a good review of the film on her blog.
Lou Kahn was a genius, but he was also a lunatic. If you are interested in archicture or genius of any kind, i think you'll find this movie fascinating.
Genius & insanity -- hmmmn, you're probably right. The one I've always wondered about is comedy and mental illness -- just how closely are THEY located in the brain?! Or spatial orientation (i.e., having a good internal GPS) and ability to memorize? Methinks they share the same brain cells in a mutually exclusive way. The only true genius I know went to MIT in the 70s, too -- he's an eccentric but a great guy. And fairly mentally WELL, from everything I can tell. Anyway -- enjoyed your observation.
Posted by: Lily | March 11, 2004 at 02:22 PM
It was a great film. A number of our Philly friends said it was quite open at the time that he had several families. One couple lived across the street from Kahn, and also knew the first mistress well. It was a little sad that the wife tried to keep all the kids away from his funeral. In any case, as you say - Kahn was a lunatic - manic depression (now called bipolar disease) and genius go hand in hand all too often. I see it in entreprenuers as well.
Posted by: Howard Morgan | March 11, 2004 at 09:29 PM
Careful there,
Calling Louis Kahn a lunatic is extremely disrespectful. You must understand how extremely influential and inspirational he was and is. Students of his would sit absolutely enraptured during his lectures. He is a personal hero for me. I encourage you to get a copy of "Between Silence and Light", pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy. He was and remains a treasure and the world is a poorer place in his absense.
Posted by: Douglass Turner | March 12, 2004 at 12:42 PM
i meant lunatic in a positive way. he was just out there. way out there.
Posted by: Fred Wilson | March 13, 2004 at 07:38 AM
I also think the word lunatic has both positive and negative meanings. Maybe it's because really interesting ideas are not obvious at first and seemingly crazy. For myself, I have learned to take comments like 'you are crazy' as a sort of complement.
Posted by: Don Park | March 13, 2004 at 11:06 PM
He was a genius in his architecture and a treasure to many who knew him but the movie portrayed him as blatantly unfair to his "alternative families".
Posted by: Stuart Ellman | March 14, 2004 at 10:27 PM
Wait a minute, I'm a genius. Ummm. Nevermind.
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