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In retrospect, some may argue that the burdens placed upon William by a society eager to exploit his brilliance were the true culprits of his tragic decline. Dr. Guérard, a faculty member at Rice, suggested that the "thoughtless cruelty of the public" was more to blame for Sidis' failure to thrive than his parents' ambitious educational model.
The Fragile Legacy of Genius
William Sidis's story serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges surrounding prodigious talent. A brilliant mind developed in a pressure cooker of expectations led to a life defined not by achievement, but by isolation. His potential achievements in science and mathematics were overshadowed by a relentless media focus on his private life rather than on his intellectual output.