Oh dear… do I detect the arrogance of youth? I have no idea how old you are but you certainly come across that way.

Also the saying ‘sarcasm is the lowest form of wit’ comes to mind when I read your little rant. If you can’t debate an issue without resorting to sarcasm then perhaps you best keep quiet.

However, having said that, I am intrigued when you say “ Worldwide intelligence tests have been completely discredited by all Psychiatric and Psychology organizations and researchers” Unless you are an eminent research psychologist, or can back up your statement with some credible references, I think it rather bold and arrogant to make such a generalised statement. Perhaps you can enlighten your audience as to your age, qualifications and references?

And my last words on the subject. To quote you: ”that your slavish unquestioning support for an outdated system that probably made you feel special and superior to other children when you were young shows a need to hold onto what you were taught as a child”
My dear fellow, when I was the child you speak of Dwight Eisenhower was president of the USA and Elvis Presley’s voice had just broken. At school in the early fifties one was either clever or stupid. I was classified as the latter.

If you had read any of my earlier posts you would have noted that I am now 64 years old. Somewhat wiser through age and experience, retired and only recently was anything suggested about me being gifted. This only came about as a result of therapy for depression and anxiety. The root cause being that I am stuck in an environment that lacks the intellectual stimulation and many of the special needs of a ‘psychologically challenged’ person. (Dare I use the word gifted?)

Typical of the some of its people, the restricted environment I live in and the source of my discontent is the tone of what you wrote and it saddens me that I had to lower my standards to your sarcasm but it’s probably the only language you understand.

Sincerely and humbly yours.

Talking out of an orifice not connected to your respiratory system.

Worldwide intelligence tests have been completely discredited by all Psychiatric and Psychology organizations and researchers. Only in USA where they were once used to judge one child from the net is there any lingering support for the archaic system.

Al, you damn yourself by your own words… You state “One of the characteristics of the gifted is a persistent and insatiable curiosity. The person who made this comment obviously is NOT gifted because had they had that insatiable curiosity they would have found that there are indeed benchmarks for giftedness.”

Please note that your slavish unquestioning support for an outdated system that probably made you feel special and superior to other children when you were young shows a need to hold onto what you were taught as a child. It shows that you are not capable of questioning the status quot and you have absolutely no curiosity.

I hope you have a nice, and an ignorant day.

So to the person who commented that “if you think benchmarks for giftedness exist then you are most definitely NOT gifted” I beg to differ. One of the characteristics of the gifted is a persistent and insatiable curiosity. The person who made this comment obviously is NOT gifted because had they had that insatiable curiosity they would have found that there are indeed benchmarks for giftedness. I will agree that no two gifted people would be the same but the fundamental characteristics are common to all.

Regarding Josh’s comment no 36. I liked the article and from personal experience can comment on his question about the psychological disorders in relation to gifted individuals. As he suggests being less adapted to the immediate environment would most likely contribute to social problems and anxiety. Also if giftedness is not recognised from and early age it can and does cause the same psychological problems in the young as well. My friend is a psychologist (also my therapist) who specializes in psychological problems associated with giftedness and her practice is a busy one.

I like Josh’s comment that perhaps the gifted are the bridge connecting possibility with actuality. I would definitely agree but only if they are recognised at an early age and are in the right environment to prosper and grow.

Al

All that you say sounds so familiar and so true of gifted people. I don’t know how old you are but if I read right into your commentary I would assume that you are a young adult. I am now 64 years old and as an older gifted person may have some useful advice to offer you and others in your situation.

I have posted a comment before regarding my own experiences (see post no 76 above) So, I am not going into the details again except to repeat this: that the tragedy of undiagnosed and misunderstood, gifted people is that their talents are lost to the world forever. As Robin says you never know, one of them could be the next Einstein.

My advice is to get a teacher, mentor or professional psychologist who understands gifted people to advise and guide you and others like you, on how to handle your giftedness and make it work for you. Otherwise, you could perhaps land up being someone like me with depression and anxiety from years of forcing me to be what I was not. Always the square peg in a round hole. Knowing I was different but always believing that I was the odd one out and having to force myself to fit into the world of the plebs. This is not meant to sound arrogant… it’s the reality for us whose brains just happened to be hard wired differently to the other 85% of the worlds population. .

All the best
Al

I delighted in crushing their egos by outperforming them to such an extent that they would never dream of thinking they can be intellectually equal to me. I felt the need to make them feel inferior because like many of the less fortunate kids, I came from a disadvantaged environment. It is not because I was gifted that I excelled, but because I was very driven by HATE.

All the hate in the world won’t change the fact that the world is filled with privileged assholes who lack understanding of those who are less fortunate. I have since aged into a person of very average intelligence because I realized being consumed by hate is rather stupid.