Yesterday I read an account of the life of John von Neumann, one of the leading mathematicians of the XX century. He was part of the Manhattan Project and has been widely recognized as the main founder of what today is known as Game theory.
The Manhattan Project reunited an important number of leading scientists and it happened to be that many of them were hungarians. Von Neumann was a hungarian jewish who had to exile to the US when nazis went into power. Asked by the coincidence of so many hungarian top-level minds at the same location, in Los Alamos, von Neumann answered it could be explained by "the need to make extraordinary accomplishments to avoid being extinguished".
I think this is a major factor in the lifes of many extraordinary creative people. Sometimes the constraint factor can lead to insanity or extravaganza, as I have sometimes discussed this with Trevor. But other times it is the only way to survival. In this case, not only survival is enough, but it is the element that makes sense the whole experience of the person.
This is an excellent thought provoking post.
Posted by: mba | June 28, 2010 at 06:27 AM
Interesting, but What about people from Africa? They have to do extraordinary accomplishments to avoid being extinguished, and there are not many top level-mind people. May be an economic problem? Exist the possibility to be a lot of top level-mind people under very big economic problems?
Thank You
Posted by: Iñigo Toña | July 21, 2010 at 05:35 PM
Aupa Iñigo. The problem with Africa is that it lacks the most basic social structures of education, social opportunities (egalitarianism) and political stability. Although knowledge and action for that matter, are individual activities, they always take place in a previously defined medium, the social structure. When these structures fail, there's no way for an individual to develop as she could do in a developed country.
Posted by: Felix Gerena | July 21, 2010 at 05:49 PM
This is true, but I´m talking about people from Africa not about people in Africa, I mean, there is a lot of people coming here every year, these people have to do extraordinary accomplishments to avoid being extinguished in Africa but when They come here don´t actue like top level-mind people, they just try to survive without make any noise. However, here exist most basic social structures of education, social opportunities (egalitarianism) and political stability..
Posted by: Iñigo | July 21, 2010 at 10:13 PM
It takes time. Ususally the first generation of inmigrants works for survival. The second one can have the opportunity to study and develop a professional career and build a family. Education is the main social integration process where children make friends and learn the values of a society. That's how it has happened in countries like France.
Posted by: Felix Gerena | July 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM
Then, What is your opinion about Jipsies (gitanos)? Many generations of jipsies live in Spain for a long time. They have to do extraordinary accomplishments to avoid being extinguished and they live in a developed country but I don´t see a lot of top mind level people there.
Posted by: Iñigo | July 26, 2010 at 09:16 AM
Who said gipsies don't have top minded people? There are many artists: Camarón, Tomatito...
The problem with gipsies being succesful in other fields, such as science is that they've been reluctant to being part of the current educational system as that would make them more payos. That is changing, fortunately.
Gipsies strong cohesive identity makes them an easy target when it comes to being exposed publicly. There are strong social identifications regarding gipsies and only time and effort can change them.
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