A Beautiful Mind: Nash’s Triumph & Torment
What a
blessing to have a beautiful mind, though it is no guarantee for a beautiful
life. A beautiful mind may even be troubled, tortured, and tormented.
A Beautiful Mind (2001) is a film based on Sylvia Nasar’s unauthorized but acclaimed biography A Beautiful Mind (1998) which explores John Nash’s life – his talent, torment, and triumph.
A mathematical
genius, he is renowned for Nash Equilibrium, a crucial theorem for Game
Theory. Nash suffered from debilitating mental illness but overcame it
without medication, returned to academics at Princeton, and in 1994 was awarded
the Nobel Prize in Economic sciences, jointly with two others. Sadly, he and
his wife died in a car accident in 2015.
Nash
Equilibrium is
briefly mentioned in the film. The hero suggests why he and his friends should
NOT choose the most attractive girl in the party for the best outcome – each one
enjoying the company of one of the girls accompanying the most desirable one. See
endnotes for a basic explainer on Game Theory and Nash Equilibrium.[i]
How did Nash and Alicia react to the book and the film?
Nasar’s book
A Beautiful Mind (1998) was an unauthorized biography of mathematician
John Nash, offering detailed insights into his life, work, and battle with
schizophrenia. Although factually accurate, both John and Alicia Nash found it intrusive
and overly personal, particularly because it included sensitive material they
had not publicly disclosed.
In contrast,
the film adaptation (2001), directed by Ron Howard, took creative liberties—omitting
difficult details and romanticizing parts of their relationship. Surprisingly,
both Nash and Alicia were more accepting of the film, appreciating its
emotional depth and the public awareness it brought to mental illness.
What did Nash & Alicia say on A Beautiful Mind?
On the book:
John Nash - “It’s
not my favourite subject, but it’s mostly true.”
Alicia Nash -
“It was a violation of our privacy. It told the truth, but not with
compassion.”
On the film:
John Nash - “It’s
not how it happened. But it’s how it felt.”
Alicia Nash -
“They left things out, yes. But they captured his pain—and his genius. That
matters more.”
John Nash on
Russell Crowe:
“I was surprised. He seemed to understand things about me even I didn't.”
Alicia Nash
on public reaction:
“If it helped people understand mental illness and love a little better, then
it was worth it.”
Biopics & Biographies
“Nothing
human is alien to me.” – Terence
Why do we watch
biopics or read biographies and autobiographies?
These
narratives offer much more than just a life story: they illuminate human
experience, provide inspiration, and offer insight into the times and choices
that shaped these individuals who changed the world or simply endured it with
courage.
Which biopics to watch? You may pick from the Top 10 Oscar-winning biopics.[ii]
If you’ve already watched all those films, you may select from among
Oscar-nominated but overlooked films[iii].
I also recommend
The Man Who Knew Infinity - a 2015 film on Srinivas Ramanujan, the
Indian mathematical prodigy.
Which books
to read?[iv]
No one has
time to read about the lives of all such extraordinary men and women who have ever
lived. Since Homo sapiens first
appeared on earth about 300,000 years ago, about 117–120 billion have been born.
That includes the current living population of 8.1 billion. How many of these
humans were/are exceptional meriting Biographies, Autobiographies & Biopics?
I have no idea. Must be several thousand, if not more. How many such lives have
we read about? Only a few, because life is short.
Who is a Genius?
A super-achiever;
one with a very high IQ, exceptional creativity, problem-solving ability? A
great leader? The world’s most compassionate, most-revered? The richest? What
distinguishes a genius from an ordinary human? Are some geniuses the product of
their times?
Maybe, I
will write about these issues in a subsequent blog.
Genius & Mental Illness
Research
suggests some correlation between high creative or intellectual functioning and
vulnerability to mood disorders, particularly: Bipolar disorder
(Manic-Depressive Illness), Schizophrenia, Severe depression, Autism spectrum
traits.
Notably, not
all geniuses suffer from mental illness, and not all mental illness leads to
genius. The romanticized “mad genius” is more myth than rule.
A few
geniuses who suffered mental illness were: Nash (paranoid schizophrenia), Vincent
van Gogh (bipolar disorder or temporal lobe epilepsy), Sylvia Plath (major
depression), Newton (exhibited periods of delusional paranoia and isolation), Beethoven
-Musical genius despite deafness (depression and erratic behaviour).
Genius: Unsung & Unrecognised
Not every
genius achieves greatness, not due to a lack of talent, but often due to
external circumstances, personal struggles, or inner conflicts.
A few
geniuses who failed to achieve greatness (at least during their lifetimes),
despite immense potential: Nikola Tesla (Inventor & Electrical Engineer),
Srinivasa Ramanujan (Mathematical Prodigy), Vincent van Gogh (Painter),
Alan Turing (Computer Scientist & Mathematician), Emily Dickinson (Poet),
Gregor Mendel (Geneticist).
[i] Understanding Game Theory and Nash Equilibrium: A
Simple Guide
What is Game Theory?
Game Theory is a branch
of mathematics that studies how people make decisions when they are interacting
with others. It's not just about games like chess or cards—it applies to
real-life situations like:
• Competing businesses setting prices
• Countries negotiating treaties
• Students deciding whether to study or cheat
In Game Theory, each
person is called a "player", and each player has a set of
"strategies" (choices). The goal is to predict what everyone will do
when their decisions affect each other.
What is a Nash
Equilibrium?
A Nash Equilibrium
happens when no player has anything to gain by changing their own strategy—as
long as the other players stick with theirs. It’s a situation where everyone is
making the best choice they can, given what others are doing.
Example: The
Prisoner’s Dilemma
Two suspects are caught
by the police and kept in separate cells. They can either "Confess"
or "Stay Silent".
Prisoner B: Stays Silent Prisoner B: Confesses
Prisoner A: Stays Silent A: 1 yr, B: 1 yr A: 10 yrs, B: Free
Prisoner A: Confesses A: Free, B: 10 yrs A: 5 yrs, B: 5 yrs
If both stay silent,
they get only 1 year.
But if one confesses and
the other doesn’t, the one who confesses goes free while the other gets 10
years.
So, what do they do?
Nash Equilibrium: Both
confess.
Why? Because each is
afraid the other will confess, and if they stay silent while the other
confesses, they get the worst deal.
Even though cooperation
(staying silent) gives a better outcome, the fear of betrayal leads both to
confess.
Real-Life
Applications
Business:
Two companies decide
whether to lower prices. If both cut prices, they lose profits. But if one cuts
and the other doesn't, the cutter wins more customers.
Sports:
In penalty kicks, a
goalkeeper and kicker play a strategic game—where to shoot or dive is
influenced by the opponent’s behaviour.
Online Platforms:
YouTubers or Instagram
creators decide how much to post or promote to stay ahead—if one posts daily,
others may feel forced to do the same.
Why is Nash
Equilibrium Important?
• Helps us predict outcomes in competitive situations.
• Encourages thinking not just about what I want, but what
others will do.
• Applies to economics, politics, biology, psychology, and
more.
Conclusion
Game Theory teaches us
that life is full of strategic choices. Nash Equilibrium is a powerful tool to
understand how people make decisions in a world where everyone is thinking
about everyone else. Whether the players are two prisoners, rival businesses,
or even students in a classroom—Game Theory gives us a window into how
real-world choices are made.
Summary
PRISONER’S DILEMMA
• Both Stay Silent → 1 year each
• One Confesses → Other gets 10 yrs
• Both Confess → 5 years each
• Nash Equilibrium: Both confess
[ii] Top 10 Oscar-Winning Biopics
1. Gandhi (1982)
Subject: Mahatma Gandhi
Oscar Wins: 8 (Best
Picture, Best Director, Best Actor – Ben Kingsley)
A sweeping epic about
India's freedom struggle and the life of a spiritual revolutionary.
________________________________________
2. Amadeus (1984)
Subject: Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart
Oscar Wins: 8 (Best
Picture, Best Director, Best Actor – F. Murray Abraham)
A dazzling portrayal of
genius and jealousy in classical music's golden age.
________________________________________
3. A Beautiful Mind
(2001)
Subject: John Nash
(mathematician)
Oscar Wins: 4 (Best
Picture, Best Director, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay)
Blends brilliance with
fragility in the story of a gifted mind battling schizophrenia.
________________________________________
4. The King’s Speech
(2010)
Subject: King George VI
Oscar Wins: 4 (Best
Picture, Best Director, Best Actor – Colin Firth, Screenplay)
A moving story about
overcoming personal limits under the pressure of history.
________________________________________
5. Oppenheimer (2023)
Subject: J. Robert
Oppenheimer (father of the atomic bomb)
Oscar Wins: 7 (Best
Picture, Best Director – Christopher Nolan, Best Actor – Cillian Murphy)
A bold, haunting look at
science, power, and moral reckoning.
________________________________________
6. Ray (2004)
Subject: Ray Charles
(musician)
Oscar Wins: 2 (Best
Actor – Jamie Foxx, Sound Mixing)
Jamie Foxx’s
transformative performance captures the rise of a musical icon.
________________________________________
7. Lincoln (2012)
Subject: Abraham Lincoln
Oscar Wins: 2 (Best
Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis, Production Design)
A detailed,
dialogue-driven portrait of political courage and leadership.
________________________________________
8. Walk the Line (2005)
Subject: Johnny Cash
Oscar Wins: 1 (Best
Actress – Reese Witherspoon)
A heartfelt music biopic
exploring love, addiction, and redemption.
________________________________________
9. Capote (2005)
Subject: Truman Capote
Oscar Wins: 1 (Best
Actor – Philip Seymour Hoffman)
A gripping character
study of a writer consumed by his masterpiece.
________________________________________
10. The Theory of
Everything (2014)
Subject: Stephen Hawking
Oscar Wins: 1 (Best
Actor – Eddie Redmayne)
Captures Hawking’s
brilliance and human resilience with emotional depth.
[iii] Oscar-Nominated but Overlooked Biopics
1. Malcolm X (1992)
2. The Elephant Man
(1980)
3. The Social Network
(2010)
4. Selma (2014)
5. Chaplin (1992)
6. Frida (2002)
7. Ali (2001)
8. Steve Jobs (2015)
9. Jackie (2016)
10. Can You Ever Forgive
Me? (2018)
[iv] Top 10 Biographies & Autobiographies of All Time
1. The Life of Samuel Johnson by James
Boswell (1791)
2. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
(1947)
3. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
(1994)
4. The Story of My Experiments with Truth
by Mahatma Gandhi (1927)
5. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund
Morris (1979)
6. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (2004)
7. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (2011)
8. Einstein: His Life and Universe by
Walter Isaacson (2007)
9. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert
(1991)
10. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by
Hayden Herrera (1983)
