This article is attacking a strawman. Newton, Einstein, Ramanujan, etc. were geniuses. It is not controversial to say that. They did not work in complete isolation, and were in regular contact with the scientific community at that time. Acknowledging that even the "lone geniuses" did not work in complete isolation does not detract from their extraordinary contributions. Even lone geniuses have to communicate their ideas to a community of people capable of understanding them, using language and analogies to make their novel ideas understood and adopted. I am sure there are many lone geniuses that we don't know about because they were unable to effectively communicate their ideas to the right audience.
Throughout history there have been many examples of people who want the glow of being a "lone genius" to join the ranks of Einstein and Newton. In order to accomplish this they have downplayed the work of others. It is easier and more compelling for journalists and screenwriters to run with the lone genius story, because it makes the narrative less complicated. I appreciate that we examine a more complete picture of what it takes to accomplish extraordinary goals, whether it's a solitary or team effort.
Throughout history there have been many examples of people who want the glow of being a "lone genius" to join the ranks of Einstein and Newton. In order to accomplish this they have downplayed the work of others. It is easier and more compelling for journalists and screenwriters to run with the lone genius story, because it makes the narrative less complicated. I appreciate that we examine a more complete picture of what it takes to accomplish extraordinary goals, whether it's a solitary or team effort.