I also think that some things are over-emphasized in the way that Ruf's Levels are presented, although I agree that the whole concept is very useful to get people thinking about the large differences between individual gifted people. I've picked up on some increased emphasis on early learning on discussion boards, and think that Ruf's Levels are part of the reason, but only part. Other factors may include:
1. Increased exposure to printed material means kids are likely to read earlier. It's partly just a cultural effect driven by the Internet, TV with more printed words than in the past, etc.
2. Educational toys and media are now geared towards reading in greater measure than in the past. This can have effects including causing kids to read earlier on their own, as well as encouraging parents to think more about reading (encouraging it and simply noticing it).
3. Some educational programs, like the Your Baby Can Read and various flavors of "create your own little Einstein" DVDs, etc., tack on an emphasis on reading early, sometimes with the explicit goal of jacking up intelligence.
4. Parents may compare their child's milestones to their own reading experiences growing up. If they remember accurately, cultural effects may cause a difference to be noticed with their own children, but they may attribute it to an intelligence difference. If they're the sort of eager parents who "err on the side of early" in assessing their kids and remembering milestones, and they don't think of themselves as being anything special, they might be even more likely to think that they have an extremely unusual reader.
5. There's almost certainly a good deal of confusion on the part of laypeople on how much early reading actually figures into the overall ability for abstract thought. Ditto on how much milestones really matter in the end (here I think that Ruf's Levels may have had a stronger impact on the parents of children who are considered to be gifted).
6. Gifted kids are more likely to read even earlier and at higher levels compared to their age peers.
7. Angst-ridden parents at the local playground will compare notes. Now the mix of notes includes those on reading in ever-greater measure.
I could go on, but you get the idea. I think that at least here in America, due to the onslaught of promotional materials aimed at increasing intelligence and early performance, a focus on hothousing and intelligence in general, and what I call the "IQ cult" is on the increase. To some extent Ruf's Levels have tapped into this phenomenon and become part of it, but it's not all due to Dr. Ruf.
