"Genius is an overused word. The world has known only about a half dozen geniuses. I got only fairly near"

Fritz Kreisler's quote talks to the rarity of true genius. He acknowledges that the word "genius" is typically tired, which the world has just understood a handful of real geniuses. He indicates that he himself was not one of them, however that he was "only relatively near" to achieving that level of achievement. This quote speaks to the humbleness of Kreisler, and his acknowledgment of the difficulty of accomplishing true genius. It likewise speaks with the rarity of genius, and how it is not something that can be achieved quickly. Kreisler's quote is a pointer that genius is something that is unusual and should be respected and admired. It is a pointer that greatness is something that is hard to come by, which it needs to be appreciated when it is achieved.