>>> Within reason, yes.
>>> Really great genius tends to rise above the flow in at least some
>>> cases.
>>> eg Newton and Einstein were well respected in their time.

> ... that they were, obviously, respected by "dunces in confederacy". 
> Now
> the significance of this is... hm... doubtful? What does it mean to 
> be
> respected as a genius by a bunch of dunces?

They all admire the pebbles that you found on the beach?
(Note that in the 'Young Einstein' movie they steal this rather good 
line of Newton's and ascribe it to Einstein (or was it even perhaps to 
Ms Curie)(Not that I've seen the movie, of course :-) ).

Or maybe they are pleased to have you stand on their shoulders?

> Of course everybody thinks "the flow" is a "confederacy of 
> dunces"... It's
> something like common knowledge. Few think of their part in the flow 
> :)

Their is a tide that rises ... - no, no - wrong sentiment / genius.

In the case of such the 'flow' is everyone to their left (as the graph 
is usually drawn). It is usually held that only vvvvv slightly more 
than half of these are dunces. [(N/2)+1 in this case.] (Actually, 
that's unfair. You can have an IQ notably less than 100 and be far 
from being a dunce, by any reasonable meaning of the word. .)


        RM

 

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