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Quotations and Wisdoms

Forestwood

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“The distance between insanity and genius
is measured only by success.”

Bruce Feirstein
(American screenwriter)

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

26 thoughts on “Quotations and Wisdoms”

  4. Success? Being taken up by a powerful clique as in the art world? where Saachi ‘developed’ a stable of artists and promoted them? Being published by an established house by being ‘on message’?

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    1. I doubt I will ever know what having a publisher whose got my number on message or speed dial is like. Good luck to those that do! That is a success of sorts. Whether it leans to genius, insanity or tenacity is debatable.

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  5. I have always found this quite interesting because it is more about “viewers” than about the person. I believe that Bruce Feirstein suggests that success is the determining factor in how society perceives individuals who exhibit unconventional or extreme behavior. It implies that achieving success can transform behaviors that may be viewed as insane into acts of genius, highlighting the fine line between the two based on the outcome of one’s endeavors.

    Thanks for the reminder!!!

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    1. So our attitudes towards artists change depending on whether they are popular or not and the amount of interest or views. Hmm – that could be so. I could see how a popular artist that has done something very different that is very well received in the community is considered highly successful. When in fact it could be considered by another group at another time to be unworthy and the artist mentally unwell. The most obvious example is Van Gogh. Is that what you meant, Rebecca?

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  6. I’ve been pondering all day about whether I agree with the quote or not. Haven’t decided. I get the point but then, I tend to think Richard Branson is crazy no matter his success or not. And I reflect on the number of people locked up by the church back when it controlled science. Were they not successful enough? Perhaps. It’s certainly well worth pondering.

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  7. I looked up Bruce Feirstein and see that he is ” an American screenwriter and humorist, best known for his contributions to the James Bond series and his best-selling humor books, including Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche and Nice Guys Sleep Alone.”
    I think he needs to get up to date with current terminology. All geniuses are neurodivergent – their brains process information differently. If they did anything else, they’d just be smart. 😉

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    1. On reflection of this quote after mulling on it for several days, it does have a condescending edge I had not noticed at first glance. Given that he writes humour, perhaps this sarcasm was intended as a joke? Because your point about genius intelligence is valid.
      I wasn’t compelled to buy his work based on the title alone. Real Men don’t eat Quiche sounds like an antiquated sentiment.

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      1. Personally, I wouldn’t look to screenwriters for pearls of wisdom – certainly not screenwriters for James Bond movies 😉 but I do think this meant as tongue-in-cheek humor

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  9. So who is saying that something is a success? Is it an objective measure or a subjective one? I’d suppose this quote is valid to the extent you know how success is defined. Definitely food for thought here.

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