Anti-social behavior is a trait of intelligence in a world full of conformists.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that being anti-social or non-conforming can be a sign of high intelligence.
Nikola Tesla's quote reflects the idea that those who engage in anti-social behavior may possess a unique intelligence that sets them apart from the mainstream society. In a world that often values conformity, individuals who think differently and question societal norms are sometimes viewed as eccentric or anti-social, yet this divergence can signify a deeper intellect and creativity. Tesla himself was a brilliant inventor and thinker, often seen as an outsider, highlighting the potential value of independent thought in innovation and progress.
In practice
In a discussion about the importance of individual thought in innovation at a tech conference.
Even matter called inorganic, believed to be dead, responds to irritants and gives unmistakable evidence of a living principle within. Everything that exists, organic or inorganic, animated or inert, is susceptible to stimulus from the outside.
Our senses enable us to perceive only a minute portion of the outside world.
Every living being is an engine geared to the wheelwork of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surrounding, the sphere of external influence extends to infinite distance.
The history of science shows that theories are perishable. With every new truth that is revealed we get a better understanding of Nature and our conceptions and views are modified.
The Secretary of Hygiene or Physical Culture will be far more important in the cabinet of the President of the United States who holds office in the year 2035 than the Secretary of War.
I am unwilling to accord to some small−minded and jealous individuals the satisfaction of having thwarted my efforts. These men are to me nothing more than microbes of a nasty disease. My project was retarded by laws of nature. The world was not prepared for it. It was too far ahead of time, but the same laws will prevail in the end and make it a triumphal success.
Sincerity is the same in a corner alone, as it is before the face of the world. It knows not how to wear two vizards, one for an appearance before men, and another for a short snatch in a corner; but it must have God, and be with him in the duty of prayer. It is not lip-labour that it doth regard, for it is the heart that God looks at, and that which sincerity looks at, and that which prayer comes from, if it be that prayer which is accompanied with sincerity.
A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security.
Everyone in Life does Exactly what they Know How to Do Given the Conditions of their Lives
The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.
The redeeming feature of war is that it puts a nation to the test. As exposure to the atmosphere reduces all mummies to instant dissolution, so war passes supreme judgment upon social systems that have outlived their vitality.
Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world.
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