Genius Is More Than Just Timing

Letter to Newsweek Magazine

Dear editor:

Malcolm Gladwell’s assumption (Maybe Geniuses Just Got Lucky, Nov. 24th) that timing has more to do with above the norm accomplishment than the genius of a person evidently is the thinking and writing of a man trying to justify his own shortcomings.

I guess Einstein, Mozart, Copernicus, Moses and Jesus were all just “lucky,” according to the author, to be born in the years they were, rather than recognized for the exceptional works they accomplished. According to Gladwell: the world was waiting for someone (Einstein) to explain relativity; Mozart filled a timing void for a five year old musical genius; Copernicus came into being just when everyone wanted to find out the truth about the sun being stationary and the earth revolved around it, Moses was “lucky” to give up his standing with Pharaoh and lead the Jews out of Egyptian slavery; and Jesus was so “lucky” in timing to be crucified.

How ridiculous.