The Flawed and Tormented Genius

At the onset, I must specify that the ideas of the flawed and the tormented genius can, and often are, exclusive and distinct ideas, except for our fascination for them. The genius who gets his success as a return for his hard work is barely appreciated. However, the genius who is able to perform well despite putting in lesser effort is the one whom society looks up to. What makes the flawed genius so appealing to our sensibilities?

Firstly, there is a sense of enigma around the flawed genius - how does he/she do it? Second, there is the appeal of something forbidden, and the flawed genius often does things that are forbidden by society. Thirdly, we want to be like the flawed genius because people appreciate the flawed genius, and hence in this sense it is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Is it fair to those who've worked their way to the top that at the top they feel like an empty clap, because all applause rings for the flawed genius? Well, not really. The problem essentially is that there are the pretenders - those who're not really the flawed and tormented genius, but pretend to be so because of the adulation it brings. How does one differentiate between the real one and the pretenders? There is almost certainly no way - some people are good actors, and some are able to program themselves to behave like this flawed genius. Hence, to the world outside these people seem like the flawed genius.

I think the flawed genius thrives in a pool of mediocrity. For those who've tasted success, and for whom the lure of success is not great, the appeal of the flawed genius is non-existent. It is only for those who're a part of the masses, and for whom success holds a lot of value, that the flawed genius is an appealing concept.