--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are people who possess not so much…" description: "\"There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain talent for perceiving the desires of the century, or even of the decade, before it has don..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b1/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_century_there-are-people-who-possess-not-so-much_1032163.png" --- # There are people who possess not so much genius as a… ![“There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain talent for perceiving the desires of the century, or even of the decade, before it has done so itself.” quote by Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b1/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_century_there-are-people-who-possess-not-so-much_1032163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b1/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_century_there-are-people-who-possess-not-so-much_1032163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b1/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_century_there-are-people-who-possess-not-so-much_1032163.png) > “There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain talent for perceiving the desires of the century, or even of the decade, before it has done so itself.” [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some individuals can anticipate societal trends before they become apparent, showing a unique perceptual talent. **In simple terms:** People can sense future trends early. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness of emerging desires. Themes foresight trendspotting creativity Mood inquisitive optimistic Type business philosophical When to use this quote - marketing strategy - product development - cultural analysis Key Concepts sociology psychology innovation Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate intuition from wishful thinking? - What methods improve trend detection? A Different Perspective Predicting trends can lead to misreading complex signals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [“Is this the steal of the century or the con of the decade?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/is-this-the-steal-of-the-century-or-the-con-of-the-decade/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [From the beginning of this century, for a decade as chief minister of Gujarat and for just over four years as India's PM, Modi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-sitharaman/from-the-beginning-of-this-century-for-a-decade-as-chief-minister-of/) [Nirmala Sitharaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-sitharaman/) > [Everybody is blessed with a certain talent, you have to know what your talent is maximize it and push it to the limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/everybody-is-blessed-with-a-certain-talent-you-have-to-know-what-your/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [It's always been difficult to make a good record. To be perfectly honest with you, it's really about the person that's pushing the buttons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/it-s-always-been-difficult-to-make-a-good-record-to-be-perfectly/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [No matter what type of equipment you have, you still have to have a certain talent to be able to make a good record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/no-matter-what-type-of-equipment-you-have-you-still-have-to-have-a/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [You have to hone your craft, but you also have to be born with a certain amount of talent, and I never took the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/you-have-to-hone-your-craft-but-you-also-have-to-be-born-with-a/) [Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/) > [Anybody can develop a certain amount of talent at something. However, the supremely talented - the superstars - are people who have married a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/anybody-can-develop-a-certain-amount-of-talent-at-something-however/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [My own experience is that everybody is born with a certain talent, and unless he lives that talent to its fullest, something in him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/my-own-experience-is-that-everybody-is-born-with-a-certain-talent-and/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [To achieve something I don't think is a big thing but to maintain and sustain it, is an art. This is something few people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuvan-bam/to-achieve-something-i-don-t-think-is-a-big-thing-but-to-maintain-and/) [Bhuvan Bam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuvan-bam/) > [“The difficulty lies within the man for whom God has not yet become everything. If God were everything, the man would get along well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difficulty-lies-within-the-man-for-whom-god-has-not-yet-become/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-lee/to-preserve-liberty-it-is-essential-that-the-whole-body-of-people/) [Richard Henry Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-lee/) > [Where the people possess no authority, their rights obtain no respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bancroft/where-the-people-possess-no-authority-their-rights-obtain-no-respect/) [George Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bancroft/) > [There are many kinds of beauty as people who possess it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/there-are-many-kinds-of-beauty-as-people-who-possess-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I believe that each of us can make a difference. That what is wrong can be made right. That people possess the basic wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/i-believe-that-each-of-us-can-make-a-difference-that-what-is-wrong/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“The vast majority of people cannot possess something they value without being possessed by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-vast-majority-of-people-cannot-possess-something-they-value/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Georg C. Lichtenberg > [If people should ever start to do only what is necessary millions would die of hunger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/if-people-should-ever-start-to-do-only-what-is-necessary-millions/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [The wisdom of providence is as much revealed in the rarity of genius, as in the circumstance that not everyone is deaf or blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-wisdom-of-providence-is-as-much-revealed-in-the-rarity-of-genius/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/i-ceased-in-the-year-1764-to-believe-that-one-can-convince-one-s/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Probably no invention came more easily to man than heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/probably-no-invention-came-more-easily-to-man-than-heaven/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [It is a great shame; most of our words are misused tools / which often still smell of the mud in which previous owners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/it-is-a-great-shame-most-of-our-words-are-misused-tools-which-often/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [To live when you do not want to is dreadful, but it would be even more terrible to be immortal when you did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/to-live-when-you-do-not-want-to-is-dreadful-but-it-would-be-even-more/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [He who understands the wise is wise already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-understands-the-wise-is-wise-already/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [The fruits of philosophy are the important thing, not the philosophy itself. When we ask the time, we don't want to know how watches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-fruits-of-philosophy-are-the-important-thing-not-the-philosophy/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [He who says he hates all kinds of flattery, and says so in earnest, has undoubtedly not as yet become acquainted with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-says-he-hates-all-kinds-of-flattery-and-says-so-in-earnest-has/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [One can live in this world on soothsaying but not on truth saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-can-live-in-this-world-on-soothsaying-but-not-on-truth-saying/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Actual aristocracy cannot be abolished by any law: all the law can do is decree how it is to be imparted and who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/actual-aristocracy-cannot-be-abolished-by-any-law-all-the-law-can-do/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [One of the greatest and also the commonest of faults is for men to believe that, because they never hear their shortcomings spoken of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-of-the-greatest-and-also-the-commonest-of-faults-is-for-men-to/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [People who never have any time on their hands are those who do the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/people-who-never-have-any-time-on-their-hands-are-those-who-do-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [An hour-glass is a reminder not only of time's quick flight, but also of the dust to which we must at last return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/an-hour-glass-is-a-reminder-not-only-of-time-s-quick-flight-but-also/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) [Explore all 295 Georg C. Lichtenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## More Century quotes > [I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-always-that-i-am-an-outsider-a-stranger-in-this-century-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The poetry from the eighteenth century was prose; the prose from the seventeenth century was poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/the-poetry-from-the-eighteenth-century-was-prose-the-prose-from-the/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-nineteenth-century-lynching-mob-cuts-off-ears-toes-and-fingers/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [At no time in the past century has public distrust of the government been so broadly distributed across the political spectrum, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/at-no-time-in-the-past-century-has-public-distrust-of-the-government/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) > [While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/while-husbands-and-lovers-in-the-stories-are-of-all-kinds-ranging/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [For me, the melancholy of the late XXth Century is walking late at night by the Mont Blanc pen store and seeing these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/for-me-the-melancholy-of-the-late-xxth-century-is-walking-late-at/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 5,406 Century quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain talent for perceiving the desires of the century, or even of the decade, before it has done so itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Georg C. 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