So I'm reading these posts in which people are discussing their children. Does anyone know where I can find gifted (God I hate that word) adults?

I'm looking for people to interact with, not for advice about my kids.

Lots of us are gifted, but our kids are definitely the focus on these boards. You might check out the forum at mygiftedlife.com. It's more oriented toward gifted adults talking about ourselves.

If you're youngish, http://giftedhaven.net/forum/

If you're old enough that you feel uncomfortable there, you might try the below. I couldn't tell you how active they are, or how compatible the personalities will be with you, though.

http://vcbconsulting.com/gtworld/gtadultlist.html
http://mygiftedlife.org/forum

The two above I got from Hoagie's. I'm surprised Mensa doesn't have an online forum, although they have in-person meetings, so may not feel the need. I personally have not been a good personality fit for my local Mensa chapter, but your mileage may vary.

Thanks guys, I will check them out.

Looks like one is a mailing list and the other (mygiftedlife)is a forum for super arrogant, ultra Left nut jobs who think the rest of the world is just too stupid to comprehend their hubristic theories on social engineering and that the only reason everyone doesn't agree with them is because they lack their god like intelligence.

That type of thinking is not at all unique, uncommon or intelligent regardless of how many fifty cent words they use.

Hubris doesn't equate to intelligence, just to a lack of wisdom.

Gifted Heaven looks promising.

Wow, okay, then.

I don't post on that forum much (maybe only once or twice), but I do know at least one person who does and she definitely doesn't fit your description. If you are still wondering why people think that you are arrogant, you might consider that stating your opinion in such absolute and insulting terms could be one of the reasons.

I also concur that the odds are high that most of us are highly gifted, but as adults we now channel that into our children/careers/etc. My guess is that your best online forums might be to look for intellectual discussions about specifically what interests you.

If you look around, you might find lots of HG adults in your own community. My children's playgroups alone are filled with highly intelligent adults who went through GATE and all that when they were in the school systems. While it would be in poor taste to proclaim to each other that "we're gifted," it can be readily apparent as you chat with people. We've had amazing talks on all sorts of "gifted" topics just by getting the ball rolling with conversation starters.

I hope you find what you're looking for!

Oops, I'm sorry! I just read your other post where you introduced yourself. Please feel free to disregard my 2 cents! Good luck!!

I'll admit I only read a few threads but it seemed like the same group of 4 or 5 people including moderators and the administrator acting pretty much like I described. I'm sure there are others I didn't notice.

You may be right about sounding arrogant but when I come across a group of people claiming that they are among the few people in the world smart enough to see the obvious brilliance of Marxism, and that everyone else fails to see it because they are idiots what am I supposed to say?

I can't think of any reason I would waste a single second talking to such people.

I'm not sure how to interpret this statement.

Perhaps you might find that you can connect with people who have different political views if you're not talking about politics. Perhaps not. But from what little I know of that forum and what little I know of you, I think you might get something out of it.

If you judge people as being below your notice because of every little disagreement you have with them, you're going to drastically limit your options.

Interestingly, when I went over myself to check out the MyGiftedLife forum, I saw a number of "Why do I have trouble making / keeping friends" threads, in which precisely that observation was made.

Already I feel as if I'm being attacked - interesting.

Maybe I was too quick to judge based solely on the thread in which all the most active members were promoting Marxism as the answer to all life's problems and that this should be obvious to anyone with half a brain.

I'm not sure that is so much of a small disagreement so much as an obvious sign of a deeply disturbed group of people.

I'm looking to meet intelligent people, not pseudo-intellectual moon-bats who have never picked up a history book but instead think that simply making shocking statements and outrageous claims amounts to intelligence. Sorry if I come off as harsh but when people start promoting Marxism as the obvious end all beat all it's time for me to look for the door.

I should mention that I didn't post there and I think that is a step in the right direction. Marxism - Jesus what is next; 911 conspiracy theories?

If that's your line in the sand, that's fine. It seems like a small deal to me, but we all have our own standards. I'm just saying that if you meet someone and immediately judge them as being not worth wasting even a minute on, that strikes me as a problem. I recently made a new friend who has as a fundamental belief something that I find to be absolutely abhorrent. I put it aside for the sake of civility (because she is a close neighbor), and found that we have lots of other things in common and enjoy each others' company a good deal. If we were to talk about her belief...well, I probably could not remain civil and I'm sure it would mean the end of our friendship. And I could feel superior and enlightened and intelligent about it and put all of the blame on her, but in the end both of us would be missing out.

I'm not trying to attack you, but since it seems like you are seeking help making friends and understanding why that is an issue for you, I think it is only right to point out attitudes that you seem to have that could be contributing.

I think you're right, that IS interesting!

I'll share with you something that's kind of personal because it helped me... my therapist pointed out that just because I feel like I'm being attacked, that doesn't mean I actually am being attacked. But it is important to notice the feeling because when it comes up that tends to trigger certain defensive behaviors in me.

The technique she taught me was to try to look at things from the other direction. Do you think that other posters here might have felt attacked when you made negative remarks about a forum they recommended? Do you think they might have felt that way even if you didn't *intend* it as an attack? Maybe you can see how these misunderstandings can happen, and how they divide people.

Cathy, thank you for pointing that out. I can understand how people could be offended by my criticism of a site they recommended. I must admit that I was so shocked by the conversation in that forum that I did not consider how others felt about it.

Still, I can't help thinking that would be seriously over sensitive. It isn't as if I was criticizing someones art - it's just a forum. And if someone is going to promote Marxist ideas, they ought to have pretty thick skin.

But, I see what you are saying. I guess I should be careful not to put down things that others may feel differently about. Come to think of it I do that on occasion. Any time someone mentions psychics, horoscopes or astronomy I tell them how glad I am they enjoy that stuff. Then I shoot myself in the head.

Just for the sake of clarity, I was not at all offended. Like you, I am not at all interested in discussing or promoting Marxism. In fact, far from being offended, I thought that your response was pretty humorous. It immediately struck me that one of your main criticisms was that they were blaming the fact that others didn't understand them on their intelligence, and that seems to be exactly what you are doing. I genuinely believed that you might fit in there, if you could put your political ideology aside.

no5no5 I'm fairly certain at this point you are just finding subtle ways of insulting me.

No, I would not fit in there. Thomas Sowell just wrote a new book about Intellectuals in which he discusses how many intellectuals who can not produce anything of value instead make all kinds of outlandish, shocking claims in order to gain notoriety. He points out that the ivory tower insulates them from any personal responsibility with regard to the outcome of their ideas and that their ideas largely go unchallenged because they in an environment in which everyone thinks as they do.

It seems to me that the more outrageous the claim, the more likely a bunch of self proclaimed geniuses and pseudo-intellectual frauds will mistake it for intelligence.

I believe the old saying is, "if you can't impress them with brilliance, baffle them with bull****."

Nope, sorry but that isn't me. I'm smart enough to humble myself with regard to the true genius of the great thinkers of the past.

Personally, I don't like to surround myself with people who make such crude judgements by just looking. Judging a book by its cover? I don't know you, obviously this is my own judgement, as we are all guilty of it from time to time, but I would have a hard time finding a reason to get to know you if you are going to put down anyone that doesn't believe as you do. And maybe that is part of the problem. If you make a judgement up front, you're not allowing yourself to get to know someone who you may actually get along with quite well. It's one thing to disagree and to decide not to join a forum because you don't believe as the group seems to, but the name calling is not more than shallow.

For the record, I'm not a Marxist, nor am I a member of any of those boards. I am, however, a gifted adult.

No, not at all. I prefer to insult people openly.

If I understand the above, your position is that if people make outrageous claims, with which you disagree, they must not actually be intelligent? I guess if you believe that, it makes sense that you would not believe that you could find your intellectual equals on that board. My experience has taught me that making outrageous claims is a normal part of every thinking person's development. As I recall, Socrates made a bit of a career out of it.

Try Mensa

A single thread or even a series of threads on a board is not representative of all people on said board. It's possible that you could still find people to interact with there by searching for threads that are not so off putting to you.

It's possible to like a person and even respect them without agreeing with them. If you still find that hard, you need to find a specific niche group where everyone will agree with you (ala the ivory towers you've disparaged).

Either way an interest group that fits you may be a good place to start. There are plenty of organizations out there where you can work on projects with people who share an interest with you in X. By having a common interest, you have a starting place for exchanging information. The interest group that my DH, DD and I are involved in is very accepting of different ideas and different types of people (many of whom are highly intelligent). That makes it easy for a new person to join and have fun, however it also means that new people are expected to be open to others who may not share their philosophies or views.

Really, I'm not trying to attack you. (Just in case you're wondering.) This isn't really about you. It's the same advice I'd give to anyone and, in fact, have given to others. You can't "find your people" if the people around you don't get your jokes. There has to be something in common to joke about for them to get your jokes.

LOL! Does that site pay you guys commission or something?

Just for s***s and giggles I'll look at the site some more. But I will not engage in conversation with Marxists, 911 conspiracy nuts, new anti-Semites, people who believe in the Illuminati, new world order or other global conspiracies or in Big Foot.

Well, the way I see it, you've got nothing to lose...

Have fun!

Stars? Smiles? Shoes? Sheds? Forgive my ignorance.

And I agree, the old anti-Semites are far better conversationalists.

This is one of my father's favorite sayings... but uh, none of the above. s, letter that comes after g, letter that comes after h, letter that somes after s, s... a puzzle for today! yay!

LOL!

Okay, I admit it.... I've never even been to the site in question.

I just know that every site had a few crazies that post but don't *quite* cross the line into banned behavior.

Maryann

Well, I joined in on a couple of conversations. We shall see how they unfold. I think you guys might be right about not letting a few bad apples spoil the bunch.

If anything, the site has sparked my curiosity of whether or not there is a link between high intelligence and mental disorders. One person there, I will not name names, seems to be schizophrenic. I also wonder about intelligence and the ability to think - I'm not sure they always go hand in hand.

We'll see.

So... is it any better than you feared?