[doggwalker]

What I find most interesting is how we change the meaning of genius over time.

I can remember as a kid that Mozart was considered a genius on par with Einstein. No one was considered a genius just because of the size of their bank account.

Now I think almost any billionaire is considered at least on the level of Mozart. "All" Mozart did was make music.

I doubt we would even be that impressed by Einstein today. If he is so smart why doesn't he at least have a billion dollar net worth?

Mozart in 2022 would be a great soundtrack composer that almost no one would consider a genius unless somehow he figured out how to make a billion dollars from selling soundtracks. Then by modern standards, of course he is a genius.

[copperx]

I've never experienced wealth being associated with genius. That idea seems alien to me. In which circles does this happen?

[_dave]

Anecdote, but it seems to be a more common thing in Americans since we tend to idolize the rich and consider wealth equal to success. That's why Bezos, Musk, &c. show up more often than they need to in discussions for minutiæ.

[knighthack]

As far as I've noticed in public articles and discussions, there has been a growing association in the past decade between the words 'genius' and people of hard-work and wealth (e.g. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates).

I don't think anyone would dispute the intelligence and industry of folks like the above.

But the word 'genius' has specific connotations. It implies superlative intelligence/ability in a specific domain of skill, which goes beyond ordinary grit, hard work and opportunity. More and more often the word is nowadays thrown around to describe people of accomplishment in business, rather than the usual kinds of 'genius' we grew up thinking of. I personally don't agree with the word 'genius' as such a catch-all phrase.