--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The genius which runs to madness is no…" description: "\"The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius.\" — Otto Weininger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png" --- # The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius. ![“The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius.” quote by Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png) > “The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius.” [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When brilliance descends into madness, it loses its creative spark and becomes destructive. **In simple terms:** Genius turned mad loses its value. Key Takeaway Beware of letting brilliance become harmful. Themes creativity madness genius Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - artistic pursuits - scientific research - leadership - personal ambition Key Concepts psychology philosophy self‑destruction Questions to Reflect On - Can brilliance be harnessed without losing sanity? - When does passion become obsession? A Different Perspective Madness can still produce insight but often at great cost. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-runs-2189018/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Longer Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer-genius-2189019/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Madness Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness-longer-821262/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Runs Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runs-madness-2189020/) ## Related quotes > [“Madness. That’s what it was. And I could no longer contain it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-harlow/madness-that-s-what-it-was-and-i-could-no-longer-contain-it/) [Melanie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-harlow/) > [We have for too long been taught that the sight of a man speaking to himself is a sign of eccentricity or madness; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/we-have-for-too-long-been-taught-that-the-sight-of-a-man-speaking-to/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [The number of different aspects that the face of a man has assumed may be taken almost as a physiognomical measure of his ... genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-number-of-different-aspects-that-the-face-of-a-man-has-assumed/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ No one suffers so much as he \[the genius\] with the people, and, therefore, for the people, with whom he lives. For, in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-one-suffers-so-much-as-he-the-genius-with-the-people-and-therefore/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [You can’t have a masterpiece without madness,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/you-can-t-have-a-masterpiece-without-madness/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Some were brilliant bordering on genius. Others, genius bordering on madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/some-were-brilliant-bordering-on-genius-others-genius-bordering-on/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [“I swam across the torrent of my madness, and pulled myself upon the shore of a new and better sanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/i-swam-across-the-torrent-of-my-madness-and-pulled-myself-upon-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“No man is normal without a tinge of madness in him! Madness in a person is a sign of intelligence, whoever they are. 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What do they want? Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) ## More by Otto Weininger > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ No one suffers so much as he \[the genius\] with the people, and, therefore, for the people, with whom he lives. For, in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-one-suffers-so-much-as-he-the-genius-with-the-people-and-therefore/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“Only from within himself can a person know the depth of the world: in him lie the interconnections of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/only-from-within-himself-can-a-person-know-the-depth-of-the-world-in/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [No men who really think deeply about women retain a high opinion of them; men either despise women or they have never thought seriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-men-who-really-think-deeply-about-women-retain-a-high-opinion-of/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“Napoleon the greatest of the conquerors, is a sufficient proof that great men of action are criminals, and, therefore not geniuses. 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He has no object outside himself; lives for nothing else; he is far removed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/man-is-alone-in-the-world-in-tremendous-eternal-isolation-he-has-no/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“No men who really think deeply about women retain a high opinion of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-men-who-really-think-deeply-about-women-retain-a-high-opinion-of-2/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [All genius is a conquering of chaos and mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/all-genius-is-a-conquering-of-chaos-and-mystery/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [With ordinary men the moments which are united in a close continuity out of the original discrete multiplicity are very few, and the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/with-ordinary-men-the-moments-which-are-united-in-a-close-continuity/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [“Napoleon, the greatest of the conquerors, is a sufficient proof that great men of action are criminals, and therefore, not geniuses. One can understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/napoleon-the-greatest-of-the-conquerors-is-a-sufficient-proof-that-2/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [Not only virtue, but also insight, not only sanctity but also wisdom, are the duties and tasks of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/not-only-virtue-but-also-insight-not-only-sanctity-but-also-wisdom/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [Everything evil is revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/everything-evil-is-revenge/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [The fixed stars signify the angel in man. That is why man orients himself by them; and that is why women have no appreciation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-fixed-stars-signify-the-angel-in-man-that-is-why-man-orients/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [A nation orients itself by its own geniuses, and derives from them its ideas of its own ideals, but the guiding star serves also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/a-nation-orients-itself-by-its-own-geniuses-and-derives-from-them-its/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) [Explore all 59 Otto Weininger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Otto Weininger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-longer-genius/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-longer-genius/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/otto-weininger-11319_genius_the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-l_1010182.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The genius which runs to madness is no longer genius.” — Otto Weininger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Otto Weininger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The genius which runs to madness...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-longer-genius/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/the-genius-which-runs-to-madness-is-no-longer-genius/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```