[quote=La Texican]A lot of that sounds familiar, even to the living in a video game, ignored the lessons, finished the schoolbooks quickly alone, moved to a new home a lot. �I vaguely remember questioning, "if I'm as smart as you think I am then why do you want to always tell me what to do? �Don't you think I have enough ideas of my own what I should do, if I'm as smart as you think I am? And if you want to tell me what I should do then why don't you try to think a little deeper and wider and come to me with a complete picture of what you want me to do, then actually let me do it.".[/quote]
I find it very odd also that frequently I am told that I cannot be challenged in argument, but at the same time there are no inhibitions in challenging me without argument. xD Debate must become a social norm, it is remarkably productive... as compared to the desire to answer questions with shouts.
[quote=La Texican]But now that I have children I am so superficial. �I don't want to engage my kids at the depth of their being. �I want to teach them, conformity, believe it or not (I don't believe it). � When the first was born, gifted, I knew he was gifted, I wanted to ask, "should I expect the world to change for him or him to change for the world?". It was a legitimate question, as I'm sure you understand.[/quote]
I do not see conformity as a form of education... P: Later, when you said "trained to conform", I think is much more accurate. People rub off on each other. If one is educated sufficiently, the rest ought to fall into place. Why mold a certain way, to a standard, regardless of the person? And if you have a reason, can the person not have it and understand?
[quote=La Texican]As in he would be raised likeable enough that the whole world would adore & accept his quirkiness or [b]he should have been trained in conformity so that he would learn to love the world.[/b] Bizarre question, probably. �No one wanted to talk about it so it probably was just weird.[/quote]
I think it is a bizarre question only because of the suggested degree of being taught to feel, respond, BE, to such a degree. Two quotes come to my mind:
-The mind is a man's last sanctuary
-You cannot teach a man anything, only help him to find it within himself.
Again, I do not see training conformity in somebody as sensible or righteous.
[quote=La Texican]Also I noticed that I would have described parts of my story similar to the way you did when I was a teenager, I would describe the same story with a different motivation now, and there's been several versions of perception between the two. �(see Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration. �It's nice to know it's normal.).[/quote]
Yes this is nice. (:
[quote=La Texican]I found it bizarre to learn that some people think people can't change. �I would have never came up with a thought like that since I see obviously that I am always changing. �I resonated when i heard described a version of anatta "no soul" reincarnation. �When a river passes a rock and makes a little whirlpool then continues down the stream and swirled again past the next rock, is it the same whirlpool. �It doesn't matter to the rock, the water, or the river.[/quote]
I do not even understand what "People don't change" is supposed to mean. It hits me as nothing more than an utterly absurd statement.
[quote=La Texican]I can tell you one thing that I think would have been exciting that I didn't do is I might have really liked to have been in the air force. � I don't know if they have an airforce in Australia or if that would be exciting to you.[/quote]
This has been suggested, and mostly ignored. I am more for learning than doing. The ideal lifestyle for me is closer to that of Archimedes, Newton, Leibniz... stuck in a room, solving problems. x) Preferably also with a huge correspondence.
[quote=La Texican]Also, I hope I have been engaging, at least I tried to be.[/quote]
I am very grateful for your response, but as I say I have many hours in a day to fill with engagement, and it is generally a very lonely time... (:
[quote=La Texican]I did learn about this forum called The Gifted Haven created by and for gifted teens and college kids. �When looking for the link i did notice that there were posts made as recently as yesterday so it is an active forum. �As you have seen from your post here that you may post and have no one answer even on an active forum just keep watching and posting to get to know who "hangs out" there.�http://www.giftedhaven.net/index.php?page=the_haven[/quote]
Thank you. I have been to this forum and for weeks registering has incurred error. I suppose it is time to "contact the administrator".
Yes, the replies are few, but most strange is the reply:view ratio on this forum. It is by far the smallest I have seen.
[quote=La Texican]Finally, you're 15. �Get the best education you can because if you can get a Ph D. your work and therefore large portions of your daily time will be much more interesting in your future. �Maybe in your past they didn't allow accommodations for your abilities but you are coming into an age where you can grab the reigns and you really need to start taking control of your own life and that means at this point to do what it takes to get a good long-term education and plan and work to get yourself one. �I have to ask myself, how would a mom answer this question. �Sweetie, a Ph D will be harder than the elementary math you taught yourself and you have been done a disservice by not being challenged so far (see Carol Dwecks entity theory of intelligence). �(also google "what a child doesn't learn"). �Now is high school. �Now is your chance to shine academically and it will matter in your life. [/quote]
I read the article on "What a child doesn't learn". I am quite sure it does not care about the individual per se. It is for society. It preaches the values of society, just as the "education system" is designed to. Society is not my concern. I will learn as much as I can, and learning and getting a piece of paper are two wildly different things. I intend to have an enjoyable job, one that benefits me somewhat, but will only work in the first place because I must.
