[mcv]

I don't see the vulnerability you speak of. It sounds more like arrogance. Claiming to be a misunderstood genius is not presenting yourself as vulnerable, it's a shield to defend yourself against criticism or the lack of praise, to enable you to continue to see yourself as the genius that nobody else recognises in you.

[_carbyau_]

Why do you need a shield if you are not feeling vulnerable?

He's an older man, seeing his age group die around him and trying to measure his impact on the world.

Reading the title of the article, I'd say he is feeling quite vulnerable.