Albert Einstein had an estimated IQ of 160, Issac Newton’s estimated IQ is 190, and Mark Zuckerberg’s IQ is 152. These famous men are known as absolute geniuses throughout the world.
But once there lived a person whose IQ was said to be between 250 and 300! William James Sidis, the most intelligent man to ever walk the Earth, was a child prodigy and an exceptional mathematician.
He was a teacher in various dialects and also a talented author. But sadly, many people have never heard of it.
We wishes to illuminate the life story of William James Sidis and why he is not as well known as he probably should be.
The Story of William James Sidis
At The Age Of 8, He Could Speak 8 Languages
William was born in New York City in 1898. His father Boris was an exemplary psychologist who 4 degrees from Harvard. His mother was also a doctor.
Since his parents were also geniuses, William James Sidis was expected to be brilliant as well, but his intelligence proved to be far more than ordinary.
At just 18 months old, he was able to read The New York Times. At the age of 8, he taught himself Latin, Greek, French, Russian, German, Hebrew, Turkish, and Armenian. Besides these 8 languages, he also invented his own and called it “Vendergood“.
He Became The Youngest Person To Enroll In Harvard
Very much aware of his intelligence, his father tried to enroll him in Harvard, but he was rejected because William was only 9 years old at the time.
Two years later, the institute accepted him, and William became the youngest person ever to be admitted to Harvard in 1909.
In 1910, his knowledge of mathematics reached so much that he began to teach his teachers, which earned him the title of “child prodigy.” He completed his Bachelor of Arts at age 16.
He Decided To Live A Secluded Life
Fame can be tiring, especially if you expose yourself to it at a young age. Shortly after graduating, William told reporters that he wanted to live a “perfect” life, which according to him, was one of seclusion.
He also added that he intended never to marry since women did not appeal to him.
In addition to the unwanted fame, his decision also reflected the pressure he had faced since birth. During that time, America believed in turning children into prodigies with the proper education.
Being a talented psychologist, William’s father was interested in making his son shine like a star. To achieve this, he applied her own psychological approaches to raising his son and put pressure on him.
Although William liked to learn as a child, his mind changed as an adult and he blamed his father for it. When Boris passed away in 1923, William refused to attend the funeral.
He Was Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison
As geniuses often do to keep a low profile, William worked low-paying office jobs. Still, people would recognize him, leaving him with no choice but to change jobs again.
In 1924, journalists found him working a $ 23-a-week job that made headlines, only this time he mocked his intelligence and said he could no longer do what he did as a child.
This, however, was not true, because, throughout his life, William wrote several valuable books using different pseudonyms.
He was a socialist and an opponent of the First World War. In fact, he was arrested in 1919 for a violent protest in Boston, where he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
However, his parents found a way to keep him out of prison and locked him up in their sanitarium for 2 years.
An Unfortunate Death At 46
William spent his life destroyed and completely alone. Estranged from his family, he worked as an engine broker and did petty jobs to survive.
The person who could have changed the world died an unhappy death at 46 like no one else, suffering a brain hemorrhage in 1944. Interestingly, his father died of the same condition.
What do you think of William’s story? Did you know that there was once a person with an IQ of 250-300?
Preview photo credit Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons
