|
I don't know about a link between genius and talent, I guess it's plausible. I doubt there's a link between genius and violent sexual behavior. I've never heard "He's just so smart" offered as a explanation for someone's propensity for sexual abuse. Those tendencies seem to be more rooted in emotional difficulties, and while emotional difficulties could conceivably be exacerbated by intelligence, it is just as likely that they'd be exacerbated by a lack of intelligence. Besides, intelligence is such a complex thing which could be defined in terms of any arbitrary activity.
I wouldn't begrudge someone for letting the deviant behavior of a person affect their ability to appreciate that person's work, especially in the world of pop, where so much of an artist's success can be predicated on public image. On the other hand, abhorrent behavior can't take away from the technical aspects of piece of work (unless the technical aspects rely on the perception of normal behavior). For instance, a sizable portion of the initial research into the relationships between chemical exposure and cancer was performed by the nazis; we also owe a great deal of our understanding of hypothermia to the nazis. While Michael Jackson probably was a pedophile, that doesn't take away from the fact that he could dance. Polanski might be a spoiled child rapist, it doesn't take away from the fact that he makes what many consider to be good movies.
|