Omg. Ok, reading your posts feels so good.
Awesome! I'll just cut/paste your questions and reply in snippets.
Aquinas: I love your need to right the wrongs of the world. Strangely, I've always had that on a micro level. To explain quickly: I can't stand to see someone's feelings be hurt, I always get frustrated when people won't move to the back of the bus to let others in (so they can get out of the rain or get home to their families too), I don't like to see people butting in line, etc., etc. And strangely, I often feel guilty/frustrated that I can't carry that to a more macro level. Except for the environmental stuff - in that respect, it kills me that everyone doesn't want to save our planet. That one is especially strong for me. Sigh.
I hear you! The little things we do on a daily basis speak to who we are, fundamentally.
And on the environmental stuff, yes! You'll laugh. I remember reading furiously about the environmental impact of disposable diapers when I was pregnant with DS, costing out a national diaper environmental model, and trying to figure out ways to economically remediate that problem. And that came from shopping for diapers as a first time parent.
Aquinas: Is synaesthesia mostly a good or a bad experience? My first thought was that I would love to experience it. Strange?
Nah, not strange.
Mine is almost entirely positive. Because there are so many types of synaesthesia, the impacts will vary. My variety causes me to experience pleasant tactile sensations on my skin when I hear certain sounds. It feels a bit like receiving a gentle head and neck massage, and so I actively seek it out!
I do experience some misophonia, which can trigger the same kind of tactile response in a negative way (like someone crawling under your skin and trying to scratch/claw at it), but those instances are easier to avoid. Out of tune music and sharp scratching sounds are among the worst triggers, followed by chewing sounds. Ugh.
Aquinas: A few other traits of mine that fall into the OEs: the need for accuracy and the need to follow rules. Our boys and I share those traits in spades. Re accuracy, the three of us have taken to saying "I'm not being pedantic, I'm just being pedagogical." It's particularly funny hearing this from our 6 year old!
That's interesting! For you, I'm sensing that following the rules is akin to ensuring justice. Is that accurate? Love the pedantic/pedagogical quote!
(Full disclosure: I tend to see rules as flexible and covering "most" situations, but open to breaking when logical reasons demand it. But that likely falls into my general "better to beg forgiveness than ask permission" MO!)
And I'm likely MG. I can't imagine how others who are PG might feel! Mind you, I might make up for LOG with my OEs in this respect.
Don't worry about LOG. Who you are is who you are, irrespective of arcane sub-labels.
I have no data on my LOG, so I'm useless for commentary in that regard. I was in gifted programming as a child after doing some form of ability testing, the school offered a double grade skip in public elementary, and I've since accelerated through university and in my career, but there's no subsequent test record that I can access. "Gifted whatever" I shall be, and high in OEs with you!
