Who’s the Genius Here?
Was Marilyn Monroe smarter than Albert Einstein? If we measure smarts by IQ alone, Marilyn edges out with a score reportedly five points higher than the famed physicist. Yes, that’s right—Marilyn Monroe, often pigeonholed as the quintessential blonde bombshell, had an IQ of 165, surpassing Einstein’s by a small but significant margin.
A Surprising Proposition
Legend has it that Marilyn, aware of her intellectual prowess, once suggested to Einstein with her characteristic charm, “You and I could have a child: I would donate my beauty and your intelligence.” Einstein, quick on his feet, reportedly quipped, “Maybe it comes out with my beauty and with your intelligence.” This playful exchange highlights not only the public personas they each battled but also a mutual recognition of their misunderstood depths.
Marilyn’s Voracious Mind
Beyond her glamorous exterior, Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Baker) was a voracious reader. Her personal library boasted around a thousand books, spanning literature, poetry, philosophy, and theatre—testaments to her insatiable curiosity and profound intellectual engagement. Marilyn spent countless hours lost in pages, seeking knowledge and understanding far beyond the scripts of her films.
Reflective Quotes
Marilyn’s words reveal her reflective, thoughtful, and playful nature. Here are a few of her gems with my personal favorites in bold.
- One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I am a woman. That’s the way all women should feel.
- Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius.
- It’s better to be alone than unhappy with someone.
- I want to grow old without a facelift, having the courage to be true to the face I’ve made.
- It’s better to be ridiculous than boring.
- A sex symbol becomes a thing. I hate to be a thing.
- Being a sex symbol is a heavy burden to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.
- Disappointments open your eyes and close your heart.
- I’m a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.
- Sex is part of nature. And I’m having a wonderful time with nature.
- I don’t mind living in a man’s world, as long as I can be a woman in it.
The Burden of Beauty
Despite her intellectual capabilities, Marilyn often felt trapped by her image as a sex symbol, a theme that recurs in her reflections: “Being a sex symbol is a heavy burden to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.” Her struggle with this public persona was a battle against the simplistic labels that her extraordinary beauty attracted.
Mavericks of Mind and Spirit
Both Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein lived their lives as mavericks; bold, confident, and courageous. They viewed the world through lenses of profound difference—embracing the beauty of thinking differently and living boldly. Einstein rewrote the laws of physics and Monroe challenged the social norms of femininity and celebrity. They understood the fleeting nature of life, recognizing that what seems eternal in a moment can slip away in the blink of an eye.
Einstein refused to follow the rules of thinking. Monroe refused to follow the rules of living. It wouldn’t be sensible to suggest we shouldn’t follow “the rules”. On the other hand, America wouldn’t exist, and slavery might still exist, if our predecessors had followed the rules. Which brings me to my favorite observation by Marilyn:
