Web Articles
After all these years, I am starting to realize that I am highly gifted!
Letter to the webmaster of Hoagies -
"All my life I have agonized over what could have gone so very wrong during my childhood. I am 42 years old, and it is only now--after all these years--that I am starting to realize that my only "problem" was that I am highly gifted."
Can You Hear the Flowers Sing: Issues for Gifted Adults
"There has been comparatively little focus in the literature on the characteristics and social and emotional needs of gifted adults. Using observational data, the author attempts to delineate some of the positive and negative social effects of traits displayed by gifted adults."
Discovering the Ex-Gifted Chld
“The experience of the gifted adult is the experience of an unusual consciousness, an extraordinary mind whose perceptions and judgments may be different enough to require an extraordinary courage.”
Fostering Adult Giftedness
"Frequently parents and teachers express concerns about fostering growth in gifted children while dealing with the often painful process of coming to terms with their own giftedness and potential."
Gifted Women: Identity and Fulfillment
Excellent coverage of attitudes of women about their giftedness. Problems of gender expectations, "imposter syndrome," and much more.
Greatest Mind Ever
A brief biography and discussion of William James Sidis, "The Prodigy," who was long the poster child for the idea that prodigies always burn out.
High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Thinker
Discusses the distinctions between different types of gifted individuals, pointing out that school achievement isn't necessarily related to creative thinking in adulthood.
How Gifted Brains Work
Studies show that highly intelligent people use their brains differently from the norm. But different researchers get different results, so as yet, there's no agreement on what's really going on in there.
The Myth of Prodigy and Why it Matters
Malcom Gladwell talks about being a prodigy, and why it has little relationship to adult achievement. A highly personal look, along with some statistics and mentions of various studies.
The Outsiders
A classic article on the dilemma of people so highly intelligent that they don't fit into normal society. Its vision is somewhat limited, but it's still insightful and worth reading.
Self-Knowledge, Self-Esteem and the Gifted Adult - Tolan
"Self-identification as a gifted adult is complicated by the great diversity among the gifted adult population. What does a gifted adult look like? Unfortunately, for many gifted adults, it looks like somebody else." Most adults know little about their minds, which contributes to low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and failure to make use of one's talents.
What is a "Polymath"?
"Some definitions describe it as some kind of genius, but that is not necessarily the point, even if the most famous polymaths probably have extraordinary genius. Think Leonardo da Vinci. But the point is probably rather a wide range of interest and general knowledge, and a certain urge to tinker with different things." Flemming Funch tours definitions of polymath and discusses his own views, including some self-limiting ones. Very thought-provoking.
Why Nerds are Unpopular
"I know a lot of people who were nerds in school, and they all tell the same story: there is a strong correlation between being smart and being a nerd, and an even stronger inverse correlation between being a nerd and being popular. Being smart seems to make you unpopular." Nerd-dom from the inside. A good analysis that goes beyond the problems of being a nerd.