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Chapter 13
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CHAPTER FOUR: Visionary Genius!
Who is the first to notice something or the first to create something? What made Da Vinci and other great artists aspire to greatness? What creates Genius?
According to Tony Buzan and Raymond Keene in their book “the Book of Genius” they rank the greatest genius’s in history, as follows:
Nature and nurture have been at odds since before anyone really understood the difference. What is it that causes one person to be who they are, and another to be something they are not? Why does one person become known as the greatest genius of all time and another never known at all? Would Da Vinci have accomplished the same things, contemplated the same ideas, if he had been raised differently? Was his curiosity caused by his environment or something he was born with?
This question has frustrated almost everyone. Unfortunately we don’t get a choice in being born and how we’re brought up. Some have amazing parents and some don’t even know who their parents were. I guess the most fascinating problem anyone will ever face is finding out who they really are.
Ralph Waldo Emerson and Plato both said that the purpose of life is to “know thyself.” But what does that really mean? I say that;
ONCE YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE THEN YOU KNOW EVERYTHING
That might only make sense to those who have really really thought about it. Who are you? Are you the son or daughter of your parents? Or are you an independent force in the world? Are you American? Christian? Buddhist? Hot and attractive or ugly? Cool or boring? Are you Caucasian or black? Are you gay or straight? What is it that defines you? Your essence? Are you smart, kinda smart, or an idiot? Do you feel you’re one person one day and then someone completely different the next? Why? Are you a “whore” or virginal? Are you part of a group or are you someone independent from labels and society?
Why can’t you just be? Popeye and the burning bush said it best with; “I am what I am”
Like in a pride of lions, if a member was to start acting drastically different it might be abandoned, or forced out of the group, or even killed. If a crow was born white, it would most likely be murdered (intentional pun). Differences are usually feared or hated – but why? It seems that, in essence, differences can be either beneficial or dangerous. You would have to think the first person to start painting on cave walls would have either been beaten, ignored, or an inspiration to make others want to join in. BUT every time someone did something new and better than everyone else, there will always be someone who hates them not out of fear, but out of something far worse – something called envy. Cane and Able, Cesar and Brutus – it’s clear that no matter how hard you try you can’t please everyone and sometimes the harder you try, and the better you are – the more you are hated.
Something to consider about the theory of evolution that isn’t considered is evolutionary intelligent design. It’s like the combination of the idea of a creator and evolution. It’s the idea that species are designing themselves – not just that random traits are beneficial. The more advanced the species – the better their design. All you have to do to understand what I mean is think about what humanity has done in its breeding of Dogs. From wolf to Chihuahua. Then apply that same principle, even if only subconscious, to our selecting who we “Breed” with. It helps to explain the gap between creation and evolution. It also helps to explain the seemingly unexplainable huge leaps some species take – they create themselves. EG. The white crow isn’t murdered, it’s worshiped.
Human history hasn’t been progressed through groups of people but on individual thinkers - visionaries. They’re sometimes called prophets, philosophers, scientists, writers - saints. They are people who thought in a new or better way. They were people who saw a problem and how to fix it when everyone else could not. The question is what makes these people see the things they do?
Gravity was understood because an apple fell on someone’s head, Sir Issac Newton. But was it really that apple or something inside that person? I’m sure thousands of apples have fallen on people throughout history but why was that specific instance in time special? Or isn’t the real question; out of the billions of people who have lived why is it that we can only remember or assign any great important to a precious few?
Were they born to do what they did? Was it coincidence? Was it their destiny? Or could it just have been a combination of factors that lead to being at the right place at the right time with the right mind? It’s easy to say it was meant to be - AFTER something happens. But no one really knows their destiny until it’s realized.
I used to always watch movies and think- Yeah right! That would never happen, there is like 1 in a million chance of that happening! BUT what I never considered until more recently is that story, movie, circumstance, WAS that one in a million chance. It’s not that it’s impossible it’s that in life there are things that “could happen” but it’s once they do that it becomes the story. For example in the movie Contact with Jodie Foster when she hears a signal from space you might think it would be far fetched that she would be listening at the exact moment the signal arrived. BUT there wouldn’t be a story if she hadn’t been. Was it her destiny to find it? Or does it just appear that way since she was the one who did? I guess the point in this observation which can extend into real life as well is this; don’t focus on the “what if’s” because they weren’t really possible. Could anyone else have done the same thing? Yes, but they did not.
So when you think of human understanding and the progression of knowledge it’s important to realize that visionaries aren’t necessarily completely unique but usually just fortunate. I guess what I’m getting at with all this is trying to figure out what makes the handful of people who have shaped our world so special. Were they born to do what they have, or did their environment, and nurturing provide them the opportunity?
Obviously some people are born more intelligent and gifted than others. But there are also gifted people born who never get the opportunity to expand on their natural gifts. If Da Vinci was born somewhere else or some-when-else would he even care about the same things? I guess that is truly impossible to tell because then everything changes. Any single different decision could have completely changed everything about him. The main goal shouldn’t be to look back at what you could have done differently, but what you can do next!
What is it that enabled this book to be written? Writing - of course. To expand upon that, if Da Vinci hadn’t kept records or journals we might not even know he existed. Or if his journals had been lost or destroyed then all of his findings and knowledge would have been lost as well. This should demonstrate just how important the written word can be.
The most intriguing quote from Da Vinci is when he said
“all our knowledge has it’s origins in our perceptions /sensibilities”
What does that mean?
It’s saying that we can figure out most everything from why we think the way we do. Why we perceive things the way we do. Why we think flowers are beautiful, why a baby will stare at an attractive face longer than a less attractive face. How do babies even recognize faces? Why we find someone or something more appealing than something else? It seems that our instincts are a lot more powerful than we give them credit for. Why can we look at something and roughly know how heavy it is, how dangerous, or even recognize what it is. Some things we learn, but something’s we just innately KNOW. I’ve been trying to figure out where I get some of the ideas I have, how I’m able to understand things I’ve never been taught. Are the things I consider unique just recycled from something I learned subconsciously; or is it something more?
I would go so far as to say that we are born with a certain knowledge of the world, an understanding. That knowledge is locked within our perceptions and thinking processes. Similar to how an ant or bee knows how to make a hive. It’s why we consider some things beautiful or some things ugly without really being taught. It’s how we just know something, its intuition and curiosity. Like most everything else a lot of it comes down to genetics, you know what your ancestors knew. The more ancestors you have, the more innate knowledge you possess. The more varied your ethnic background – the more diverse that knowledge is.
Its why there are people who can calculate huge computations instantly but not know how they do it. Its how some people can remember, word for word every page in a book. There is this huge untapped and un-understood ability trapped inside our minds that allow humanity to advance. What’s interesting to me is that there have been times in history where humanity actually downgraded. Think of ancient Egypt and the amazing things they created and then the relatively incomparable achievements in the dark ages. But in both cases it’s the same people, just with different circumstances. The same nature but different nurture..
It’s as if bad times lead to people who want to fix the problems and it’s the one’s who succeed in this that we look back on as visionaries. Gandhi, Jesus, Dr. Martin Luther King. Einstein, Plato, Socrates, Michelangelo, Raphael, Shakespeare, Beethoven, Mozart, - The list goes on, but isn’t as long as you might expect out of the billions of people that have existed since we started keeping records. I guess something that is quite compelling is how many people time has probably forgotten. Atlantis, Mt. Olympus - what if these were advanced societies that after their destruction or evolution were lost? They turn from reality to a story, to a myth, and then finally a legend and sometimes even gods. What if the original Greek gods started out as real people but eventually time made them divine?
The interesting thing about the greatest visionary- Mr. Da Vinci wasn’t his ideas quite as much as WHEN he had them. You’ll read in my interjections about the similarities between mine and Da Vinci’s thoughts. What makes it interesting is what he was attempting to explain and demonstrate. It’s easily done with a computer or a digital display but seemingly impossible with a painting. How could a painting demonstrate more than a single image?
Just as a quick example. To make a copy of the Mona Lisa in Da Vinci’s time would have required literally years. For me I can do the same in literally seconds. Ctrl- C, Ctrl –V – DONE.
I contribute Da Vinci’s progress of thought to his journaling. It’s almost impossible to remember or understand your thoughts unless you get them out of your head and onto paper. If you don’t do that then they stay jumbled and in a state of confusion inside your mind. Thoughts will actually become destructive and can hurt you if they’re too pronounced. I believe a lot of cancer and sickness is caused by the mind.. Your worst fears some how become manifested into your reality. Why? Because you’re thinking them- you’re attracting them too yourself. It’s like when you’re having a great day and everything goes right, and then there are others where everything goes wrong. Having the right attitude or changing your perspective can do wonders.
“The senses are of the earth, the reason stands apart from them in contemplation.” - Da Vinci
I think the most noteworthy aspect to Da Vinci’s journals are the small idiosyncrasies he pondered. It’s funny that his most powerful observations were the ones usually over looked by everyone else. The reasons why we do the things we do, the mechanics and biology behind our movement. Why we laugh and cry and the purpose they might serve. He was intent on discovering the reasons and purpose behind our every action and behaviors. There is almost an unworldly tone to his writing, as if he’s separate from the world and in permanent analysis. Instead of being consumed by the world, he was consumed by trying to understand it.
“Leonardo why do you toil so much?” - Da Vinci
Why did he? Why do I? Why do any of us?
This would allude to his own confusion over why he was never satisfied. Another very intriguing quote by him is:
“While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” - Da Vinci
What could this mean? What did he figure out about death? I’ve found that the more I learn and understand - the more I notice and think - the more I understand what he’s really trying to say. His writing is of such an intense nature that a single sentence takes a lifetime of knowledge to completely understand. Thankfully today we have a head start since we have his journals and 500 years of additional information at our finger tips. The internet is an amazing thing and not yet fully appreciated. In seconds you can learn about almost anything.
Another thing to think about when reading his journals that adds to the confusion was that he originally wrote in Italian. Translations are difficult and I’ve found various versions of his same quotes which give totally different meanings. It’s hard to know exactly what someone meant 500 years ago. With Leonardo it’s also difficult to know if what he is saying is really what he’s saying. In a lot of his writings he uses double meanings and very cryptic ideas that take a very deep understanding of his purpose in writing them. I’ve found that as I’ve read I’ll understand something he’s written completely different than what others do. I would also have to say that although I’m not an expert my findings and this book should indicate that I have a pretty unique grasp on his true meanings. I also don’t completely understand why, I assume it’s just that we have similar ways of thinking but sometimes it almost seems like there is more to it than that.
Here are two different versions of the same Da Vinci quote that have two totally different meanings.
“If your liberty is dear to you, may you never reveal that my face is love’s prison” Or “If liberty is dear to you, may you never discover that my face is love’s prison”
One implies that you would loose your liberty – possibly imprisoned – if you were to reveal his secrets. The other says that you would be saddened to learn his secrets if you value liberty (freedom of expression.) These are two totally different meanings with only a couple words being in different places.
I also have to admit that when I first started to read his journals they were very difficult to understand. Some of them were way over my head and even reading them over and over I didn’t fully understand. It’s interesting that I’ll go back and read the same things now and get totally different information from them. I think it’s my understanding of his language and his meanings behind words rather than the current meanings. He writes about complicated ideas and personifies them into stories:
“The ape on finding a nest of small birds approached them with great joy, but as they were already able to fly he could only catch the smallest. Filled with joy he went with it in his hand to his hiding place; and having commenced to look at the tiny bird he began to kiss it; and in his uncontrollable affection he gave it so many kisses and turned it over and squeezed it, until he took away its life. This is said for those who by being too fond of their children bring misfortune upon them.”
He also uses un-vague prophecies to explain how some people claim to tell the future. It’s reminiscent to Nostradamus or some predictions in the bible which were bound to happen whether someone predicted them or not. If I were to predict that there would be a devastating earth quake, assuredly there would eventually be one. Then once it happens I would say “see, I told you! I’m a prophet.”
He uses his prophesies to demonstrate that idea. Anyone could make accurate predictions if you know what’s probably going to happen. For instance, I could say. “It’s going to rain next month” - then if it does I’m a psychic. If it doesn’t then I really meant the following month - and so on until I’m eventually right. Understand this and do not be fooled by those who use vague predictions to base their faith on, they’ll be right eventually even if it takes thousands of years of waiting. It’s also obvious when we look back at most “psychics” or such who take advantage of the naivety of others. They’ll be amazed by what they don’t understand but to those who do understand it might just be common sense!
Just Imagine
If you can’t experience something for yourself then all you have to go from is what you’ve seen before or could imagine. But how could you imagine something you’ve never seen? That’s what imagination and creativity are; their being able to imagine something that’s not there whether you’ve ever seen it before or not. It’s being able to come up with something original or previously unimaginable. That’s what either makes someone crazy or genius – their audience and how they choose to use their imagination. You can either imagine people are out to get you, as most schizophrenic people do - or you could imagine how to build a machine that would allow someone to fly! Both could be seen as crazy depending on who you tell your ideas too. (and if someone really is after you haha)
Obviously the people you were around would influence how “crazy” you were perceived as being. Not to mention how crazy you considered yourself to be! Something that’s crazy vs being a good idea is the perception of others – but who are they to decide?
If you’re the first to think a certain way or imagine something new - everyone else will either think you’re genius or insane.
Some people probably thought of Leonardo Da Vinci as an amazing intellect, imaginative man - but most people probably just thought he was insane. There’s a fine line but what you have to remember is it depends on your imagination and how you choose to use it and who you decide to tell. Are they open or closed minded?
The truth of the matter is what’s real and what you can prove. If you can’t prove something then it’s very possible that it’s just a possibility you’re trying to make real. (Ignorance is Bliss) Those Indians could have simply said “that’s just a really slow bird” and ignored it - or they could have thought it was an arrow flying toward them really slow and was the end of the world. But who’s really right? How could anyone really be right before the true truth is known? That is what a belief is, an unproven, hopefully expected “wannabe” truth.
There are endless possibilities for anything but you never really know what it is until you can prove it. That’s what science is; it’s thinking of a possibility and trying to either prove it or disprove it. I think there’s a point where it becomes too much. If it’s impossible to prove or disprove something then stop arguing about it! What does that prove? You should be looking for truth - not arguing about individual beliefs.
Truth is what everyone can see in the exact same way.
“All these things which in the winter are concealed and hidden beneath the snow, will be left bare and exposed in supper: - said of a lie which cannot remain hidden.”
“You will see the greatest trees of the forests borne by the fury of the winds, from the east to the west:-That is across the sea” (Wooden Sailing Ships)
“Feathers shall raise men toward heaven even as they do birds:-That is by letters written with their quills.” – The bible says we’ll fly up to heaven when we die
“Men will pursue the thing they most fear: - That is they will be miserable lest they should fall into misery.” –They’ll work their whole lives to avoid working in the future.
Of Shoemakers: Men will take a pleasure in seeing their own words worn out and destroyed”
Of Kids: The time of Herod shall return; for the innocent children shall be torn away from their nurses and shall die of great wounds at the hands of cruel men.”
“O thou that sleepest, what is sleep? Sleep is an image of death. Oh, why not let your work be such that after death you become an image of immortality; as in life you become when sleeping like unto the hapless dead.”
“The air as soon as there is light is filled with innumerable images to which the eye serves as a magnet.”
“There is no result in nature without a cause; understand the cause and you will have no need of the experiment.”
“The mirror bears itself proudly, holding the queen mirrored within it, and after she has departed the mirror remains abject.”
The most intruding aspect to examining greatness is considering; What’s stopping you from making your mark on the world?
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