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- This page refers to eccentricity in behavior and popular usage. For other uses, see the disambiguation page: eccentricity.
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being normal. Eccentrics can sometimes find unconventional solutions to problems which more normal people tend to overlook.
Comparison to the Norm
Eccentricity is often associated with genius or extreme creativity. The individual's eccentric behavior is seen as the outward expression of his unique intelligence or creative impulse. In this view, the eccentric's habits are incomprehensible not because they are illogical or the result of madness, but because they stem from a mind so original that it cannot be conformed to "normal" society. In this vein, Edith Sitwell wrote:
- "Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd."
Eccentric personalities are marked by precisely this disregard for society's norms. The eccentric may comprehend the standards for normal behavior in his culture, or he may not. He is simply unconcerned by society's disapproval of his habits or beliefs. Many of history's most brilliant minds have displayed many unusual behaviors and habits.
Some eccentrics are cranks, rather than geniuses. Eccentric behavior is often considered whimsical or quirky, although it can also be strange and disturbing. American billionaire Howard Hughes, for example, was considered to be very eccentric in his old age. He became a figure of pity when news of his unusual behavior was revealed. It was rumored that he even stored his urine in glass jars and never cut his hair or nails. Despite his strange behavior, Howard Hughes was a brilliant financier.
Other people may have eccentric taste in clothes, or have eccentric hobbies or collections which they pursue with great vigour. They may have a pedantic and precise manner of speaking, intermingled with inventive wordplay.
Behaviour eccentricities have often been classically associated with psychological profiles such as overcompensation, insecurities, childhood issues, sexual issues, repressed feelings, social ineptness, monomania, or a variety of other influences, even if the person would not necessarily be classified as insane. Some accepted psychological profiles that are commonly attributed to eccentrics are the Oedipus complex, Napoleon complex and Peter Pan Syndrome. However, many otherwise normal individuals simply create eccentricities for themselves merely for the purpose of appearing more interesting.
Extravagance is a kind of eccentricity, related to abundance and wastefulness; refer to description in hyperbole.
Quotes
- "That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time". — John Stuart Mill, On Liberty.
See also
"Eccentricity (behavior)"