4 ms·

> Focus on the math, not the mathematician. It will make you happier. Personally I don't feel inadequate when reading about someone like von Neumann, as I'm no

> Focus on the math, not the mathematician. It will make you happier. Personally I don't feel inadequate when reading about someone like von Neumann, as I'm not really tempted to compare myself to him in the first place. Colleagues are peers, people I graduated with are peers, but von Neumann is almost like another species. I forget who it was who pointed out that Silicon Valley billionaires tend to dress like 'normal people', in sharp contrast to aristocrats. People don't tend to feel poor for comparing themselves against the Queen, as they perceive too much distance to make a personal comparison.

abnry 5y ago
> Personally I don't feel inadequate when reading about someone like von Neumann, as I'm not really tempted to compare myself to him in the first place. Colleagues are peers, people I graduated with are peers, but von Neumann is almost like another species. Perhaps I am more prone to egoism than you! I had a "promising" start to my career and a lot of ambition. I've fallen off that track and had time to reflect on what matters, but I still feel twinges of ego-driven ambition.
paulpauper 5y ago
The queen does not have much personal money anyway. it belongs to the family. I think it is understandable to feel inadequate. that is motivation to be better.
- MaxBarraclough 5y ago
  > I think it is understandable to feel inadequate. that is motivation to be better. I don't see the sense in this. No amount of work would turn the average mind into the next von Neumann.
  - paulpauper 5y ago
    being better does mean being a copy of the guy
    - MaxBarraclough 5y ago
      You can work as much as you like, you're still going to be nowhere near as smart as von Neumann. Why should that be motivating? I'm not convinced there's an upside to feeling inadequate by comparison.
      - aYsY4dDQ2NrcNzA 5y ago
        Thank you for sharing your perspective on this. I think other people probably feel similarly. I am old enough now that I accept my limitations, and have decided to apply my talents to areas that I find interesting and valuable. Just because I will never be a Leibnitz, I’m still confident that I can help teach people what I know and help them on their own paths to reach their individual potential. But still, I marvel at geniuses like Feynman who made things seem so effortless.
TMWNN 5y ago
>Colleagues are peers, people I graduated with are peers, but von Neumann is almost like another species. Von Neumann's contemporaries agreed, which is why he and other Ashkenazi Jews from Hungary were nicknamed Martians https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martians_(scientists) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martians_(scientists) . Societal and genetic pressures over centuries produced unusually high IQs (and some associated genetic problems).

abnry 5y ago

> Personally I don't feel inadequate when reading about someone like von Neumann, as I'm not really tempted to compare myself to him in the first place. Colleagues are peers, people I graduated with are peers, but von Neumann is almost like another species. Perhaps I am more prone to egoism than you! I had a "promising" start to my career and a lot of ambition. I've fallen off that track and had time to reflect on what matters, but I still feel twinges of ego-driven ambition.

paulpauper 5y ago

The queen does not have much personal money anyway. it belongs to the family. I think it is understandable to feel inadequate. that is motivation to be better.

MaxBarraclough 5y ago
> I think it is understandable to feel inadequate. that is motivation to be better. I don't see the sense in this. No amount of work would turn the average mind into the next von Neumann.
- paulpauper 5y ago
  being better does mean being a copy of the guy
  - MaxBarraclough 5y ago
    You can work as much as you like, you're still going to be nowhere near as smart as von Neumann. Why should that be motivating? I'm not convinced there's an upside to feeling inadequate by comparison.
    - aYsY4dDQ2NrcNzA 5y ago
      Thank you for sharing your perspective on this. I think other people probably feel similarly. I am old enough now that I accept my limitations, and have decided to apply my talents to areas that I find interesting and valuable. Just because I will never be a Leibnitz, I’m still confident that I can help teach people what I know and help them on their own paths to reach their individual potential. But still, I marvel at geniuses like Feynman who made things seem so effortless.

TMWNN 5y ago

>Colleagues are peers, people I graduated with are peers, but von Neumann is almost like another species. Von Neumann's contemporaries agreed, which is why he and other Ashkenazi Jews from Hungary were nicknamed Martians https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martians_(scientists) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martians_(scientists) . Societal and genetic pressures over centuries produced unusually high IQs (and some associated genetic problems).