Baskadia

「京大医学部４名合格講師」による受験対策講座（１８）

　Genius does what it must, talent does what it can.  (Edward Bulwe-Lytton)

   中学生や高校生では仕方ないのかもしれないが、模試の１番くらいで“あの子は天才だ！”と言う生徒がいる。私の塾生にも模試で全国５本の指に入る人がいて、天才だと呼ばれていた。

　彼は今、５５歳くらいだと思う。どこかで教授をやっていると噂で聞いたことがあるが、日本には教授と呼ばれる人たちが170335人もいる。単純平均で１県あたり３６００人以上いる。あなたの街にも何人もいるはずだ。

　「天才」と「才能」は異なるものだと思う。どちらが偉いと言うつもりはない。どちらも社会には必要な存在だから。ただ、言えるのは中学校や高校で勉強が出来るというのはほとんどの場合「才能」とか「努力家」と呼ばれるものであること。

　受験は他人との競争だけど、本人に出来ることは「最善を尽くす」ことだけ。それを他人が「努力家」と呼ぼうが「才能」と呼ぼうがどうでもよい。自分の人生を他人と比べる必要はない。

  Maybe it is inevitable in junior high and high school, but there are students who, at about the number one spot on a mock exam, say, "That kid is a genius!" Some students say, "He's a genius! One of my cram school students was one of the top five in the country in mock exams and was called a genius.



　I think he is about 55 years old now. I heard a rumor that he is a professor somewhere. There are 170335 people in Japan who are called professors. On a simple average, there are more than 3,600 per prefecture. There must be a few in your town, too.



　I think "genius" and "talent" are two different things. I do not intend to say which is greater than the other. Both are necessary for society. However, I can say that in most cases, being able to study well in junior high school or high school is what is called "talent" or "hardworking.



　Taking an entrance examination is a competition with others, but all one can do is to "do his/her best. It doesn't matter whether other people call it "hardworking" or "talented. There is no need to compare your life with others.