what makes a genius?

there seems to be some "social stigma" or just plain misconception that a genius is defined by how well he can make on some special test thought up by a recognized official of some psychological field. I can tell you right now that that is not true. A real genius is defined not by how many questions he gets correct of out a set number, but rather how many answers he can come up with for one question. This is a skill known as Divergent thinking. Now that alone doesn't make someone a genius, but rather defines someone as a genius. What I mean by that is, yes you can come up with a brand new answer that most people wouldn't give, but the difference between A person defined as a genius and a genius is that the actual genius will give an answer that is both unconventional and correct. Being defined as a genius means you have the right potential and brain type to become an actual genius.

The dictionary defines Genius as "Extraordinary intellectual and creative power". The way someone implements and uses this extreme intellect and creativity is what sets them apart from being defined as a genius. If they use them to challenge conventional views and ideas and come up with new answers to age old questions that are more efficient or effective, then they are a genius. Divergent thinking helps as it is the capacity to see things from a different angle or perspective. A "genius" is more or less a set of intelligent fresh eyes who can look at things those who are set in what is the right answer and what is the wrong answer cannot see.

Part of the reason why america has a lack of geniuses is that even starting from an early age, parents and teachers and the like have a tendency to educate children in a way that discourages divergent thinking. You're always taught that there is one answer that is right and the rest are wrong. This is always going to be a problem as long as people think that the way they were taught was the best way. The majority of people with children choose to educate those children the same way that they were educated.

Teachers have it the worst relatively since they are given the least control of what they teach and how they teach it. Most standardized tests are multiple choice, which leaves no room open for a unique or different answer. Schools get paid on a grade basis, so teachers have to teach which bubble has the right answer in it and nothing else, and this in itself would lead to a stale or malignant learning environment in itself. If a real genius were to take a multiple choice test, he would, in theory, write his own answer instead of bubbling in the one he was taught as being the right answer.