So I ran across a quote and now I get it...

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
“Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.”
— B.F. Skinner

What does that mean? Why would chaos breed geniuses?

Offers a man something to be a genius about? Can someone explain that?

Thanks.
 
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Zim Hosein

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Super Moderator
Nov 27, 1999
65,405
407
126
“Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.”
— B.F. Skinner

What does that mean? Why would chaos breed geniuses?

Offers a man something to be a genius about? Can someone explain that?

Thanks.

Are you asking us to pen your summer school homework disappoint? :\
 

SOFTengCOMPelec

Platinum Member
May 9, 2013
2,417
75
91
“Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.”
— B.F. Skinner

What does that mean? Why would chaos breed geniuses?

Offers a man something to be a genius about? Can someone explain that?

Thanks.

The fuller version of the quote, seems easier to understand.

“The only geniuses produced by the chaos of society are those who do something about it. Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.”

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/394393-the-only-geniuses-produced-by-the-chaos-of-society-are
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
"When stuff's really screwed up, someone usually finds a good way to fix it."


But, you can either do that by coming up with a brilliant idea, or a bunch of dumb ideas can be thrown at the problem brute-force-style. If one of the thousand monkeys manages to type out something good, that one will receive the honorary title of "genius" in the history books.
 

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
"When stuff's really screwed up, someone usually finds a good way to fix it."


But, you can either do that by coming up with a brilliant idea, or a bunch of dumb ideas can be thrown at the problem brute-force-style. If one of the thousand monkeys manages to type out something good, that one will receive the honorary title of "genius" in the history books.

Or how about the lazy politician's method of problem solving? Throw someone else's money at the problem and let someone else figure out how to actually solve it.
 

Zim Hosein

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Super Moderator
Nov 27, 1999
65,405
407
126
Nope. Just ran across a quote that didn't make sense probably partially because it was only a partial quote.

You ran across a quote, "That didn't make sense probably partially because it was only a partial quote," but instead of doing a quick search engine query, you take the time to make a thread on ATOT? :\
 

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
You ran across a quote, "That didn't make sense probably partially because it was only a partial quote," but instead of doing a quick search engine query, you take the time to make a thread on ATOT? :\

I did actually do the search engine query.

Right after I made the post on ATOT.

I know my priorities need some work.

Thought it might make a fun discussion and someone might have something interesting to say about it.

We humans have wishful thinking spells like that. You might have to learn to live with it.

For example some humans think they should pray for defibrillators and polio vaccines to fall out of the sky instead of thanking scientists for inventing them to save lives.

See we all make mistakes. You live and you learn. ;)
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
619
121
Chaos: When the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
126
You can make some sense of even the partial quote. Basically, chaos only looks like chaos to those who don't understand it... and if you're willing to put in the effort to figure out how something works that everyone else considers "chaotic" then you will be pretty advanced compared to those around you.
 

Newell Steamer

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2014
6,894
8
0
Getting a quote is kind of like getting an alligator in a suit during winter: not much to choose from, but you sure can consider a vest and overcoat in case that gator is still cold.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,470
17,950
126
“Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.”
— B.F. Skinner

What does that mean? Why would chaos breed geniuses?

Offers a man something to be a genius about? Can someone explain that?

Thanks.

More problems to solve = more people thinking about how to solve them. This increases the chance of a genius manifestation.

Same genius could live his life contently without innovating if he doesn't see problems.
 
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sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,470
17,950
126
You ran across a quote, "That didn't make sense probably partially because it was only a partial quote," but instead of doing a quick search engine query, you take the time to make a thread on ATOT? :\

I am dissapointed that you didn't say "I'm dissapoint" given the op's alias :awe:
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
126
cannonballrun.jpg


I can't picture anyone wanting to breed with Chaos...

(I miss Dom DeLuise)

Edit...here's another:
captchaos-490x391.jpg
 
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Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Or how about the lazy politician's method of problem solving? Throw someone else's money at the problem and let someone else figure out how to actually solve it.
In the business world, they call that "effective delegation."
 

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,181
35
91
Or how about the lazy politician's method of problem solving? Throw someone else's money at the problem and let someone else figure out how to actually solve it.

Lazy politician? Isn't that all a politician has is money? You expect him to put on a lab coat and cure cancer himself?
 

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
Lazy politician? Isn't that all a politician has is money? You expect him to put on a lab coat and cure cancer himself?

I certainly hope not. Is that all you think a politician can do? Throw other people's money at a problem and that's it?
 

Auric

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,591
2
71
'Tis an unsurprisingly narrow view. In anthropology, general advancement is credited to the chaos of geologic and climatic cycles in East Africa over millions of years.
 

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
'Tis an unsurprisingly narrow view. In anthropology, general advancement is credited to the chaos of geologic and climatic cycles in East Africa over millions of years.

I read that as "climate change causes geniuses" and gave up trying.