The Genius Myth

We are delighted to be joined today by Helen Lewis, whose new book rips apart the stories we like to tell ourselves about ‘them’ – the heroic geniuses we idolise and adore.

Where does the idea of ‘the genius’ come from? And why does it mesmerise us so much? In this episode, we take you on a tour of the history of genius – from the Mona Lisa to Elon Musk – and trace its modern origins in the 19th century. And it won’t surprise you to find that technology and Empire have a lot to do with it all . . .

If anyone can take down ‘The Great Men of History’ it’s going to be Helen, so strap in as we rip through the centuries and the rulebook of what makes someone ‘special’, what constitutes ‘importance’ and why we might just be able to live without these geniuses.