Comments on: Gifted Adult – Pros and Cons of a Label

By: Elisa

Elisa — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:06:48 +0000

I’ve been thinking about your comment – ‘hard to believe I’m so different’. I think a lot of gifted adults (including myself) totally believe they are not fundamentally different than anyone else. And, of course, in many ways, we’re not. And yet, at the same time gifted adults regularly realize that they understand things differently than most people around us e.g. we had a different reaction to an experience than everyone else around us, arrived at a different conclusion than everyone else around us (and maybe faster), are interested in different things, process differently etc. Yet despite this feedback, we still would prefer to believe we are the same. And, as you point out, if I say I’m gifted, it could be an invitation for other people to hold me to a different standard based on their pre-conceptions of what being gifted means.

Regardless of what the rest of the world thinks about it, why do YOU think you’re gifted? And if you ARE so different, so then what?

By: Elisa

Elisa — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:38:56 +0000

I hear you. Despite the fact that some of us are reminded daily that we are different, for whatever reason, we don’t like to acknowledge that we are. I’m thinking mainly because it’s a barrier to connecting with other people. Also, as you say, gifted people are probably more in touch with where we think we fall short instead of what we’re strong in. And, of course, we only know what it’s like to be ourselves, easy to assume that it’s the same for everyone else. No doubt there are many more reasons…..

By: Mindy

Mindy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:59:05 +0000

I think part of the issue is the “Impostor Syndrome”. If I put myself out there as gifted, someone will point out the reasons I’m not really. And I already have trouble understanding/believing that I’m so different.

By: Acknowledging our gifted adult personality

Acknowledging our gifted adult personality — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:54:20 +0000

[...] her post Gifted Adult – Pros and Cons of a Label Elisa notes, “There is a lot of debate about whether it’s good to apply the label [...]

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:47:39 +0000

Having a name or “label” for something is the only way people can talk about it (shorthand, like an abbreviation or acronym, so they don’t have to keep explaining it every time). Anything beyond an identifying feature, though, is more use than to which it could be reliably or safely put. A generality, at best (which should be kept in mind).