Do men have a greater "creative genius"?

perfectpie

What comes to your mind when you think of the great minds of the past?
For me it is da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh,
Jerome; closer to today Nelson Shanks and maybe Daniel Green.
Musically: Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Hayden, Bach.
Science: Darwin, Hawkings, Einstein, Edisen.
Psychology: Freud, Otto Rank, Ernest Becker.

There are many other fields you could name and with them other creative geniuses and/or great minds. And these are only names out of my tiny little mind. But my thought is, why do men usually SEEM to dominate in fields creativity.

Of course many women can be added to the list above, Georgia O'Keefe was an accomplished artist(great colors!) and Alice Miller was to me the greatest psychologist of our time. But why are the "Greatest of the great" the famed ones, are always the men?

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?

AlanF

In the past, women were usually relegated by society into subservient roles, which is why the historical greats, such as the men you listed, are almost always men. These days I don't know that anyone can say that either sex is better or worse in the creativity department, since opportunities for women are far broader than even 50 years ago.

AlanF

Seeker

I agree with Alan. For most of human history, men have done all they could to prevent women from reaching their potential. Not surprisingly, for most of human history, men have been doing the accomplishments and we'll never know what women could have done had they been given a chance.

For a modern-day example of this phenomenon, look at Taliban-led Afghanistan. Where are all the women doctors, and teachers, and artists?? Uh, home, prisoners of the male-dominated society.

Tatiana

I agree with Alan and Seeker. As an example, and from not THAT long ago, my stepmother confided in me over the Christmas holiday, that she never persued her dream of becoming an archeologist.

She'd bought my son a dinosaur digging kit with bones you actually had to dig out of rock. (He loves anything having to do with dinosaurs or bones.)

She told me that when she was in college, in the 50's, she didn't want to take a business course, or become a secretary. She asked to be put in the archeology class, and was refused. The exact words to her were, "The only way for you to do that is to marry an archeologist and help him in his work."

Who knows what she could have accomplished?

April
I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow. (William Blake, A Poison Tree)
http://www.network54.com/Forum/171905

Sunchild

My answer to this is one word and two letters: J.K. Rowling.

The woman is on her way to being the world's first BILLIONAIRE author. Not a man, but HER. *g* No wonder she's my idol.

*Rochelle.

---------
"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
-- Professor Severus Snape, Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone.

Frenchy

Maybe we're just plain smarter?

No?

I thought not.

patio34

I agree with AlanF & Seeker that lack of opportunity was most of the reason.

The other contributing factor is nature itself. Women had no birth control. The norm was to get married young and have maybe 10 kids. The best years of their lives were spent not only being pregnant 10 years, but also the attendant 2-3 years of breastfeeding and pretty intense childcare.

So, when would they have had time to develop their skills? Add to that mix, the lack of opportunity in almost every culture, and that pretty much accounts for it, the way i see it.

For what it's worth,
Pat

"It's easier to put on slippers than to carpet the world." (from "Stuart Saves His Family")

seven006

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OUTLAW

Hey Dave,good list.I like intellegent weman.Beauty fades,stupids forever!..LOL...OUTLAW

proplog2

Why do male birds sing? Why are the males of most species the most colorful. Why are males taller than females. Why do roosters have bright red combs.

Although creativity is not limited to males there does seem to be a sex link to it. Most of the women I know who are creative have definite andric intrusions. Most of the creative men I know have strong gynic tendencies.

I believe men write books, do sports, paint pictures, write songs, discover great things with the hope of attracting females. I know Tatiana will be in here soon expressing her offense. Please remember that I am not saying women don't do creative things but come on ... where are the great symphonies over the last 30 years?

Women have breasts & so do men. Women's breasts have a function. Men's don't. Men are creative and so are women but it seems clear that Men are trying to attract females. We're truly pathetic.

Do men have a greater "creative genius"?

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