“When I was about twelve, I used to think I must be a genius, but nobody's noticed. Either I'm a genius or I'm mad, which is it? "No," I said, "I can't be mad because nobody's put me away; therefore I'm a genius."”
Genius is a form of madness and we're all that way. But I used to be coy about it, like me guitar playing. But if there's such a thing as genius — I am one. And if there isn't, I don't care.
John Lennon interview with Rolling Stone magazine (December 1970)
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John Lennon 228
English singer and songwriter 1940–1980Related quotes
“Baby," I said. "I'm a genius but nobody knows it but me.”
Source: Factotum (1975), Ch. 31
“I'm a misunderstood genius."
"What's misunderstood?"
"Nobody thinks I'm a genius.”
Mad About the Boy (1932)
Source: Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons
“I am not mad because I'm a woman… I'm mad because you're an asshole.”
Source: Cat's Eye
“I don't care about that scum! Why should I receive a prize? I know that I'm a genius!”
As quoted by Werner Herzog, in My Best Fiend, (1999)
Source: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
“I think you're all mad. But that's part and parcel of being an artistic genius, isn't it?”
"Baiting the Hook", p. 42
Memory and Dream (1994)
“I'm not mad that you got mad when I got mad when you said I should go drop dead.”
tick, tick... BOOM! (1990)