Each year the MacArthur Foundation awards prizes (big money) to notable contemporary achievers in virtually any domain of activity. The press refers to these as “genius awards,” and thus the recipients, besides becoming richer, become officially certified as geniuses.
Let’s say you are graduating at the end of this semester and are looking for a job. There is an advertisement in the want ads that the MacArthur Foundation is seeking someone to help select the next round of geniuses. You decide that you are a shoo-in for the job, but realize that your application must include a “position paper” in which you specify the criteria you would use to determine whether someone is deserving of the award.
What things would you look for? Any developmental experiences or personality traits? Any objective behaviors or social relationships?