Yeah. I can relate to the feeling of seeing the world in a more complex light than others . . .
We humans do tend to have a cognitive bias towards viewing others as experiencing life in the same way that they do. A couple of years ago I, likewise, realized that the vast majority of others experience life with less intensity and complexity than I do - for me this realization was exciting, embarrassing, and encumbering - depending on my mood. That being said, I've found that, at times, deliberately focusing on what I have in common with others can help me to be more empathetic and less lonesome.
I read somewhere that it is important for gifted people to have friends (especially other gifted friends) who have many different perspectives/talents/lifestyles � though building these relationships is perhaps easier said than done.

As far as black and white thinking goes � that drives me nuts too. I actually have done some research on dialectical thinking � which, in psychology, seems to mean basically the opposite of black-and-white thinking. I know that in the East people have been shown to think more dialectically and in less simplistic terms (your description of reality as a web of interconnectedness is often used as a brief description of the Buddhist worldview). As someone who tends to see reality in shades of gray, I�ve really enjoyed spending time with people who are part of the Asian culture. Many scholars suggest that Socrates� (or Aristotle or one of the three, I can�t remember ATM) influence on Western thought is to blame for the Western tendency to see the world in terms of good or evil, right or wrong, and black or white.

Although black-and-white thinking has been shown to correlate with melancholy, black-and-white reasoning may be helpful in solving material problems � that is, in developing technology. For example, Louie Pasteur didn�t start with the hypothesis that fermentation is usually caused by microorganisms. Likewise, the explosion of modern medical technology that followed his discovery was not likely precipitated by a common belief that infectious disease is often caused by Pasteur�s microorganisms. Although I am fond of Eastern philosophy, I must admit that most scientific and technological progress was not made in the East.

Any who, sorry for my meandering reply. I�m glad that I�m not the only one who thinks of such things.

-Cory