According to this article, some psychologists have pointed out that for men, getting married and having children signals the end of their contributions to science, music, literature and other fields. And it’s not subtle, either: in their words, the flow is shut off like a tap.
They show that a similar trend happens with criminals: those who marry well and have children stop committing crimes. They postulate that a single cause is acting in both cases. The young males are striving for great things (each in their own measure) to impress women. Once they get married with children, there is less impetus for forward struggle.
Brings to mind the old saying: “A man isn’t complete until he’s married… then he’s finished”.
Ah, I heard something along the same lines. However I did not read the article. I have my own opinions however. Real Genius is not the fruit of a man trying to impress the opposite sex but that of a man trying to improve himself. If there is sufficient support from the family and enough time to foster the ideas there is Genius.
However, when a child is young, there is definitely a period where the parents will experience heights of sleep depravation that would curtail any intellegent thought.
Well I guess thats it for you simon, you’ll never have another creative idea.
Of course there are a number of other unproven/disproven hypothosis that also can fit the same crieteria with a differing end point. Typically once your married and have had children it’s not really that your creative genius is gone. It’s generally the fact that the major focus in most people’s lives has shifted from leaving a legacy through creative genius to leaving a legacy through your children. There also is the issue of having much less time, although it is much more rewarding.