While the story was written around the smartest of the smart, there are a lot of other parts that are useful to the above-average. E.g., supportive and challenging-enough homes cultivate the mind.
I was fortunate enough to be tested in 7th grade (ACT, not SAT) through JHU's program (IIRC?) and did well, but I'm certainly not exceptional in any fashion. I was, however, fortunate enough to be part of a large school district that had a pull-out program for "Talented and Gifted" students. Once a week a number of us from my elementary school were bussed to a separate school where we did age-appropriate special topics/projects (basics of thermodynamics, computer programming, rocket flight and a project on whales come to mind) that were above and beyond what could be done in a normal classroom. We were still responsible for the regular classwork we missed, which was certainly manageable. There were enough of us from my school going to the pull-out program that there wasn't really much social stigma either.
But, man, am I ever grateful for the lasting effect those elementary years had on me from a curiosity and desire to learn perspective.
I was fortunate enough to be tested in 7th grade (ACT, not SAT) through JHU's program (IIRC?) and did well, but I'm certainly not exceptional in any fashion. I was, however, fortunate enough to be part of a large school district that had a pull-out program for "Talented and Gifted" students. Once a week a number of us from my elementary school were bussed to a separate school where we did age-appropriate special topics/projects (basics of thermodynamics, computer programming, rocket flight and a project on whales come to mind) that were above and beyond what could be done in a normal classroom. We were still responsible for the regular classwork we missed, which was certainly manageable. There were enough of us from my school going to the pull-out program that there wasn't really much social stigma either.
But, man, am I ever grateful for the lasting effect those elementary years had on me from a curiosity and desire to learn perspective.
I did ok in science, biology etc at school, but math was not my strong point for whatever reason. I've met a lot of people that have a similar story to tell. I can only conclude in my case that it was due to lack of ability, bad teaching or a combination of both.
Back to Richard's question. I do have to say I think SY (and others like him) have it right by getting people to perform in your house. If you have some land and some money as I may have mentioned before this Concert hall homes: A house that hits all the right notes - Telegraph is the way to do it.
Won't of course work if you live on a diet of Mahler!
Won't of course work if you live on a diet of Mahler!
Richard,
I run JL subwoofers and Martin Logan ClX electrostatics at home and Bi Amp Borbely power amps on the JBL 1970's 4 ways with MIT film foil crossovers at work with pooged SAE 2700 eq and Networked Ethernet audio and high res 24/192 files. I should get into DSP and something more modern, but my wife did that already ......................
I run JL subwoofers and Martin Logan ClX electrostatics at home and Bi Amp Borbely power amps on the JBL 1970's 4 ways with MIT film foil crossovers at work with pooged SAE 2700 eq and Networked Ethernet audio and high res 24/192 files. I should get into DSP and something more modern, but my wife did that already ......................
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One of my saddest experiences in high school was being given part one of a three part math test given out by the State of Wisconsin looking for "T&G" students. I really went at it and was very proud of my solutions and I don't think I could easily replicate them now. Several months later he called me aside and said gee you got all three right but it's too late to do anything about it, no one ever did it before and I just put the letter aside.
Luck plays an enormous role in life. Despite that, people who strongly believe they can influence their own destiny, perhaps more than they really can, tend to do better in life. Someone put it this way, "if you don't buy a lottery ticket, you can be sure you won't win."
For sure. Last week for the first time ever I saw in one of the big poker shows someone pulling a royal flush in the flop.
Man, that is a bummer, T&G was such a great experience for me. (although mine was in elementary/middle school, but I also had great schooling in HS)
Definitely have every right to be proud of that.
I hope you don't mean proud of being born smart? Proud of working hard to do your best, okay.
Many of us tend to think as if life is about success, financially. But I have observed that in human, the inner sub-conscious objective of life is to find happiness. Some make trade-offs when they cannot always get everlasting happiness. They tighten their belt, save their money, and feel secure for the abundant resources in the future. Feeling secure is actually a critical form of happiness...
Some other, exercise every day, sweat over body, just to be sure they will have a healthier life in the future. That's also a form of trade-off to get happiness (just like religions)...
Sad but probably true, money (and thus financial success in life) seems to be the most critical tool to find and develop happiness. But people may easily miss the forest for the trees, lose sight of the big picture...
I found that intelligence is only a very small part of the big picture. And life seems to be so unpredictable. When I was young I was told about the characteristics of the successful people: discipline, persistence, ..., you name it. When I was older I found out that the only thing that is common and necessary to be that successful is to have negative traits such as ability to sacrifice other people (or even being a psychopath)... And when I "read" the biography of the top 10 successful people in the business magazine, I found out quickly that I didn't have any desire to be any one of them...
The most important benefit of having above average intelligence imo is to be able to think ahead, think about complex matter, and be able to use it to achieve whatever the objective of life is...
I'm happy that I regularly enjoy my swimming activity. At my age (45) health is increasingly becomes important. Many health problems can cost you a lot of money. At my age, people consistently (just like yesterday) don't believe if I'm a married man...
No matter how high our intelligence is, it is never too high. There are things that I wish I could think of when I was younger. I wish I knew what I know now when I was 15 😀 My point is: we can learn from our mistakes, and even if it is to late to fix it, we can use the knowledge to develop our children. Intelligence is a small thing, there are more important things...
Hey, all you guys are proud of being smarter than most people. AND most of you have done well in your chosen occupation. However, that will not necessarily make you a superior audio design engineer. That takes accomplishment in the audio field.
You bet, one of my all time favorite quotes is from Frank Lloyd Wright "You only own what you do".
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What does this mean? Peak of what? Different parts of our physical, intelligence or emotion peak at different times throughout our lives...
Fluid intelligence, the capability of coming up with things/ideas by thought and reasoning.
In my highschool days, I commonly came up with two different approaches of solving a math problem.
Nowadays it takes me longer to arrive at a single one (a bit like having intercourse)
In my highschool days, I commonly came up with two different approaches of solving a math problem.
Nowadays it takes me longer to arrive at a single one (a bit like having intercourse)
I have met a number of highly intelligent men in my life, and I have heard about others like Richard Feynman and Albert Einstein who were really special.
However, Richard Heyser pushed my 'limits' from the first when I met him in 1968 at an AES Convention. He always pushed my capability of understanding what he was getting at over the next decade and more. I miss him.
However, Richard Heyser pushed my 'limits' from the first when I met him in 1968 at an AES Convention. He always pushed my capability of understanding what he was getting at over the next decade and more. I miss him.
I'm sorry you even had that impression. Yes, being proud of doing good work and using the full extent of your faculties.
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