The words “Genius” and “Obsession” seem to have nothing in common at first glance. It is not immediately apparent that the two terms are even remotely connected. But on introspection, a clearer image begins to appear from the murky pool of human abilities. Intellectual prowess may have a tenuous connection with the more feral tendencies of human nature after all.
Thomas Edison once said “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. These words were spoken in simpler times, when pure intellect was highly respected in society. “Genius” and “Edison” were words often used interchangeably. His intellectual abilities were unquestionable. But we need to take a closer look at how obsession shaped his famed inventions. Legend has it that Edison tested more than a thousand materials to form the filament of his famous light bulb. This in itself speaks volumes about the power of human obsession.
It is evident that while intellect or “Genius” led to the design of the bulb in the first place, it was only Edison’s obsession with his creation that led to its fruition. At this point, “Obsession” and “Genius” seem to have a somewhat closer link than previously thought. But this in itself cannot lead to the conclusion that the two words essentially refer to the same thing.
On the other hand, obsession does not always have positive connotations. There are instances where obsession has done more harm than good. Coming back to Edison, it was well known that Edison had an acrimonious relationship with his former assistant, Nikola Tesla. Edison had nothing but contempt for Tesla’s invention: Alternating-Current while at the same time being obsessed with his own Direct Current. This particular obsession did him no good as Alternating Current eventually became a world standard. We can conclude from this particular debacle that obsession is not necessarily a blessing when coupled with intellect.
It is not immediately apparent whether one can correlate Genius and Obsession. But it is obvious that the two are not the same in all circumstances. In some cases, obsession can act as a catalyst to one’s intellectual abilities. At other times, obsessions, like all human emotions, have the inherent power to cause cataclysms .Hence; it is not always the case that Obsession can be used interchangeably with genius. . It is prudent therefore, to take the middle path and conclude that obsession is a dangerous gift: one must use it responsibly, especially when coupled with genius.