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Van Gogh was utterly miserable though. I don't think he'd consider his life a success. To frame it with someone I know much better, what about Nikola Tesla?
by OnlineGladiator 7y ago
Van Gogh was utterly miserable though. I don't think he'd consider his life a success.
To frame it with someone I know much better, what about Nikola Tesla? Profoundly accomplished, objectively made enormous contributions to engineering that made huge improvements to the quality of life for a large chunk of humanity. He was utterly obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge and nothing else. On his death bed he regretted his work ethic and wished only to have ever known the touch of a woman.
We may be benefiting from their obsessions, but they aren't.
- skunkpocalypse 7y ago> Van Gogh was utterly miserable though. Geniuses usually are. That does not in any way diminish their contribution.
- RJIb8RBYxzAMX9u 7y agoOTOH, Newton never married either, and apocryphally was proud that he's a virgin. Even a genius may not be immune to FOMO.
- biztos 7y agoPrecisely! If we eliminate all misery we probably lose art in the deal. And then what? Of course it’s possible to make smaller strides while living a more or less healthy life but I think for some (Tesla, Erdős) it just tips. But then again Erdős was maybe happy with his life... Sticking with the scientists for a moment, maybe Feinman is exemplary. But are a bunch of Feinmanns enough?