Did he call himself a genius?

I think my all reasonable estimates, he was a polymath, maybe not on the level of Kolmogorov or something but it's the fact that he died so young, had such immense influence, and worked in so many fields.

Its a brain bug - our brain makes a flat copy of everyone we meet. If we can not comprehend/ deduce what he/she does the brain is hardwired to early out - and the person is either (depending on outcome) a idiot, or a genius.

If you want to be percieved by others as genius, this can be easily accomplished. Engage in endavours where you control the outcome, but make a show of beeing percieved as a mumbling fool, doing seemingly nonsense on the way.

lol yeah