Badassery Magazine October 2017 Issue 17 | Page 22

held theories, or by using exist-
ing ideas to discover entirely new
ways to look at the universe. As
Newton has reportedly said, “If I
have seen further, it is by stand-
ing on the shoulders of giants.”
Using my earlier logic, stating
that this young woman should
be called the “first Pasterski”
instead of the next Einstein
might seem like a noble attempt
at applauding her obvious bril-
liance and individuality, but it
would mean nothing to anyone
not familiar with her or her work.
It also discounts the idea that
her discoveries are built on the
foundations of those who came
before, and so on.
This in no way diminishes Pas-
terski’s intelligence, skill or
contributions - the ones she’s
making now and those she will
no doubt make in the future.
I mean really... what the hell
were YOU doing at 14 years old?
To use a slightly different exam-
ple, many believe - rightly as I
see it - that Susan Sontag was
a brilliant (if polarizing) writer
and essayist. It takes nothing
away from her achievements to
point out that she didn’t invent
the English language, nor did she
invent the formats in which her
words appeared. It seems like a
silly thing to suggest, but it’s no
different than trying to diminish
a scientist’s discoveries because
they were based on the work of
others. (Something I once heard
someone try to do.)
Ladies and gentlebeings, we are
indeed a comparative species,
because it allows us to put val-
ue into context. We require a
benchmark, something to judge
things and people against in
order to understand its place in
the universe. In an ideal world,
we could accept things as valu-
able simply on the strength of
their very existence and by their
own unique merits. However, this
world is not at all ideal.
It’s far more interesting than
that.
I do sincerely hope that some
time in the future an article is
written about another remark-
able young person, proclaiming
them to be the “next Pasterski.”
Judging from what I’ve seen, that
future looks quite possible.

About the Author
Mackenzie Clench is a writer, creative instigator, author, agent
provocateur and creator of absurd (but cool) job titles. He regu-
larly kicking over the apple cart of "that's-the-way-it's-always-
been-done" and giving the advertising intelligentsia aneurysms
on a nearly daily basis. He believes 1 + 1 = 3, women are the
future and that the coolest dinosaur is the thesaurus. He's
currently on a mission to show that every single human-shaped
human on this big blue marble is a walking, talking latte-sip-
ping engine of creation. Mackenzie does not normally refer to
himself in the third person, but will do so if asked nicely. Cook-
ies work too.
mackenzieclench.com
  
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