Leonna regularly forgets the titles of the films and the names of the actors she likes and when she wants to quote a sentence from the film, it’s always the wrong one. Artistic Awareness at the Upper Normal Range: These individuals may be casually interested in going to a museum, a library, a classical concert whereas their main kick is popular culture. Some people possess quite extensive knowledge about readily accessible cultural topics. Owen loves the popular music of his youth in which he is deeply knowledgeable, he goes to concerts a few times a year and occasionally enjoys going to a museum when he’s on vacation. Richard mostly enjoys going mountain-biking, however, once in a blue moon, he’s in the mood for a click trip to the local museum. Leonna enjoys libraries and movies a lot but rarely recalls anything specific. Many Upper Normal Rangers are good at practical skills, such as, handicraft or cookery which they frequently appreciate. Cathy is known to be a good cook; she’s also an accomplished gardener. Richard and Ann enjoy cooking for their families. Quite a few Upper Normal Rangers enjoy reading fiction, so their sentences are well constructed, even if not exceedingly long or very precise. Occasionally, a technical or fancy word is used. An interest in more high-brow culture or easy scientific facts373 may be present, especially at the higher end of the range. Richard recalls TV programs he watches about marine biology and regularly recounts them to his friends. Ann and Rico regularly borrow fiction books at the library. Life Goals at the Upper Normal Range: Upper Normal Rangers’ goals are often occupational and family oriented but, sometimes, dreams may be envisioned and later pursued, usually with the help of a group of friends or a spouse. Leonna has studied in college to land a good, interesting job. Rico, Owen, Morris, and Cathy have invested time and efforts in their respective careers. Magalie and Richard are working hard for a promotion. Owen and Morris dream of traveling to more exotic places. Doing sport regularly is a consistent trait of that range, at which people are more healthconscious145-146 than at preceding levels and, subsequently, don’t mind putting in the effort for a short-term goal. Owen, Leonna, Richard and Magalie train regularly to stay healthy.
Ann goes swimming during her free time. If your I.Q. level is to be found in the Upper Normal Range most of what’s below reflects who you are: (Pay close attention to the wording before answering yes or no, then count the number of times you answered yes). 1-While being moral and ethical, you sometimes bend the rules a little for your own benefit. 2-You think that most people are pleasant and interesting. 3-You have lots of friends you enjoy meeting regularly. 4-You have graduated high school but had trouble with abstract topics (such as math, biology, and physics). 5-You enjoy leisure a lot but only have a couple of areas of interests. 6-You almost only read fiction, never non-fiction. 7-You don’t overthink the consequences of people’s actions or behavior. 8-You are not that interested in science or highbrow topics. 9-Your main focus is on your friends, your family, your job; you aren’t idealistic. 10-You enjoy arts but aren’t really a creator yourself. 11-You are willing to listen to a bit of classical music or jazz but don’t genuinely enjoy that. 12-You are only able to recall a few general facts out of what interests you, but not the underlying theory or explanation. 13-You usually don’t use big words, but your vocabulary is fairly good. 14-You are not that adventurous with new tastes and unusual activities but may enjoy them if pushed by peers. 15-You aren’t always that focused, you may occasionally forget things and your memory is average unless you get particularly interested. 16-You are slightly health conscious and regularly work out or do sporting activities. 17-You believe you think like most people and most people think like you. 18-You have never contemplated changing the world as an adult or wouldn’t know where to begin. 19-You are good with your hands (handicraft, cooking, gardening, decorating etc.…). 20-You don’t enjoy TV-shows and movies when the plot isn’t straightforward.
3.The Superior Range (IQ:115 to 129) 14% People in the Superior Range are the link between the conventional crowd of Neurotypicals255 and “the Gifted266 ”. They are very much alike the previous range in most ways, but already close to the Moderately Gifted Range in some of their interests. Some authors even consider them “mildly gifted”148, but given their analytical103 thinking type, I believe they’d rather be assigned the label “bright287 ” instead. They comprise about 14% of the general population; their I.Q. score is found between 115 and 129. As usual, I will resort to situations taken from the lives of members of that range: Rosie, CC, Vincent, Alistair, Carly, Michael, Magdalena, Georgia, Marcelle, Jules, and Bonnie. As usual, all the names have been changed and all the situations have been modified. The Learning Skills of the Superior Rangers: This is the range of doctors, lawyers, managers, CEOs, engineers, teachers and most intellectual occupations149-155 . Individuals in the Superior range are analytical thinkers103 whose brains are a little quicker than Upper Normal Rangers’ for, they learn by skipping small cognitive steps150. Typically, they are particularly smart in one general field295 which becomes their strong domain and frequently their profession. They understand concepts well in this area of expertise while showing a high degree of competence. Rosie, Magdalena, Georgia, and Bonnie learned the skills required for their job faster than average; they are considered very dependable personnel. Commonly, Superior Rangers display intellectual passions related to their elevated curiosity337- 384 and good managerial skills373 linked to being blessed with an I.Q. level removed by fewer than 20 points from most people82-83 . Rosie has always been a particularly good employee manager, showing both empathy and authority. The rest of their cognitive realm remains very average; as a result, they have difficulty with very theoretical concepts151 and will seldom hold eminent positions in science. Bonnie, CC, and Magdalena have trouble with anything related to math and statistics; they keep asking people for help. At the same time, their thought process being sequential287 and logic oriented101-385 , understanding intelligence which doesn’t rest on pure logic is a struggle. This leads them to overlook intelligence based on deeper cognitive strategies such as those used by gifted people288 .
Rosie believes that whoever thinks differently from what she was told or taught lacks knowledge in that area. Independence of Mind and Ego at the Superior Range: Frequently, very certain of their knowledge and intellectual superiority in certain areas285-286 , for they never question what they are taught103-151 , superior rangers fail to acknowledge other people’s point of views, especially if presented with dissenting opinions. Logically, they tend to be unwilling to change their minds, even if offered contradictory facts, for they are used to holding unwavering intellectual positions attributable to an immature ego 179-333. Michael, who is a doctor, is in the habit of waving away any fact he wasn't taught at Med school. Marcelle, who is a teacher, only listens to people who share her academic knowledge. Bonnie believes most people, besides herself, to be incompetent and that there’s only one way to do things. Alien to truth seeking283-287, unless they feel they have been lied to, Superior Rangers may question certain facts, but usually stop the inquiry when only a few pieces of information have been found, regardless of their actual value. These people are likely to repeat over and over alleged facts, heard from a dubious source, or superficial knowledge gathered from a supposedly trusted source, to try to modify peers’ opinion with very little to stand on. Rosie hates being contradicted or shown that the sources she has faith in are untrustworthy. Magdalena, who is fond of literature, heard one should say « I sneaked » instead of « I snuck » and yells at whoever contradicts her. Intuition Skills at the Superior Range: These people may appear intuitive at first glance, but that intuition, based primarily on logical facts, generally turns out to be incorrect356. Being unaware of the possibility of deeper intuition 356 skills, they disregard their own failings all the while attributing others’ enhanced intuitive results to mere luck. Rosie, CC, Magdalena, and Bonnie are almost always wrong about the outcome of a situation. Sympathy and Empathy at the Superior Range: There is definite sympathy for the plight of certain social groups, usually those regarded as victims by the general public or those the Superior Ranger shares a form of connection with. They may, to a certain degree, put themselves in other people shoes357 but never really sense other people’s feelings; as a result, their empathy skills remain superficial357 and linked to an external collective viewpoint, such as ethics. Rosie, CC, Georgia, and Marcelle regularly pity the ill-fated and those born on the wrong side of the track.
Allistair and Magdalena, who follow the viewpoint of the higher-ups, tend to punish all of their employees instead of trying to find out who is at fault. Nervous Issues at the Superior Range: These people feel anxious358 or stressed-out in difficult situations, but typically, overcome it rapidly because the meaning of life, for them, is mostly found in the outside world287 (job, status, money, accolades, prizes …) and not very much inwardly (feelings). However, some may find themselves guilt-ridden, agonizing over what should have been done, to much higher degrees than at the preceding ranges. Rosie and CC often feel guilty about not caring enough for their parents, even if they are always doing their best. Georgia, Marcelle, Jules, and Bonnie feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children. Superior Rangers, who, on occasion, may act self-important, are typically more easily annoyed152 with someone else, or even themselves, for stupid mistakes, than individuals in the Upper Normal Range. They are also readier to judge333 those who make the wrong decision or who aren’t competent enough. Rosie and especially Bonnie keep finding faults with their co-workers, no-one is ever experienced enough, or hard-working enough. Morality of the Superior Rangers: Morality, at this range, follows the rules of society153 picked up, at a young age, within the family. Superior Rangers hardly ever stray much from these guidelines, seldom questioning their reason for existing, never doubting their foundations. Yet, religiousness and, sometimes even, faith are ordinarily rejected154, in that range and the next, as they are considered unscientific and therefore, viewed as the choice of dim-witted folks. CC, Alistair, Michael, Magdalena, and Marcelle can’t stand churchgoers, whom, they picture as knuckle-dragging dullards, and surprisingly, unethical individuals. The Social Extraversion of Superior Rangers: Superior Rangers are habitually socially savvy, at ease in social situations150, particularly, if they can shine in front of a captivated audience. Being considered smart or at least educated, they customarily enjoy being the center of attention or, at any rate, particularly esteemed for their achievements287 . Bonnie and CC, in a social setting, want everybody to know how good and efficient they are at their jobs and give advice to their audience. Marcelle likes to hint at how many languages she understands even in front of strangers. Michael and Vincent like goofing around and evoking their many work-related stories in front of their friends.
Men in that range are often seen as a catch157 for they embody the idea of a successful professional life; women are often regarded as intimidating156 . Although at ease in social realms, Superior Rangers don’t shun away from spending time alone359 to read, watch an obscure film in Swedish, or rearrange their key-chain collection. They are “mild nerds”: their inner world is rich enough to keep them satisfied but their outside life (work and friends) is where their contentment lies (especially at the lower end of the range). Alistair enjoys rearranging his collection of old jazz LPs and his many avant-garde films. Georgia spends time alone reading the latest thrillers. Often in position of leadership149-155 , these people are regarded, by their peers, as leaders and intellectuals283-284 . In addition, because they sport an I.Q. score only 5 to 30 points higher than most, they are perceived as clever but still understandable, so, in short, leader material. They enjoy talking about cultural knowledge, the arts158 , newsworthy events, what they know, where they’ve been; their job… their vocabulary is good360-373, precise, varied, and even technical in their area of expertise. Allistair enjoys talking about his many trips, often recounting anecdotal events and cultural differences during dinners with his friends. Magdalena loves talking about what she’s reading and how highbrow it is. The Artistic-Minded Superior Rangers: They are usually extremely interested in the arts158. Sometimes a little creative, they may dabble in music, painting, drawing, dancing, cooking, photography etc. Rosie loves reproducing, on canvas, the paintings, or the images she enjoys, may it be still-lives or landscapes. CC and Jules take dancing and music lessons every week. Allistair talks non-stop about movies, jazz, and classical music to whomever wants to listen. Marcelle goes to plays, concerts, museums, or theaters whenever she has a day off. Carly, who is a foodie, enjoys talking about trendy chefs. Adventurousness at the Superior Range: Superior Rangers can be quite adventurous158-361-362 in groups of like-minded acquaintances. They tend to enjoy travelling, mingling with the locals, tasting new food, but within the heartwarming security and the emulation of a small group. Regularly, they attempt new activities, new savors, and new encounters, provided, they live in a neighborhood in which those things are available. CC goes trekking with her husband every year, always somewhere different. Allistair regularly travels to exotic countries and enjoys the local specialties with friends.
Georgia and her family have moved many times around the country as well as abroad. The Memory Skills of Superior Rangers: Superior Rangers exhibit good memory skills287 in certain fields, especially if they are passionate about the matter. They may look for documentation in their areas of expertise and retain those facts as long as they feel useful or interesting. In addition, the memory of their life-events is remarkable 292, for, it’s linked to strong emotions and repeatedly recounted, time and again, to attentive peers. Rosie remembers events from her early childhood vividly. Allistair and Michael remember all the details of their crazy expeditions around the world as well as the biographies of their favorite authors and composers. Magdalena easily remembers the plots and the characters in the books she has read. Marcelle, with the help of her diary, remembers in great details, most of the events she has attended. Bonnie remembers the gist of every file sitting on her office desk. Cultural Matters at the Superior Range: Fascinated with cultural knowledge158, Superior Rangers always have a few matters of interest they love to share with like-minded individuals. In addition to literature, the members of this range generally enjoy museums, plays, classical or jazz159 concerts, avant-garde or classic cinema, ethnic cuisine, conferences, or exhibitions often with a small group of friends or their significant other. Rosie enjoys talking about classical music and history whenever she is in a social setting. Magdalena and Allistair love talking about the books they have read and classic movies. CC goes on and on about the ethnic music she loves. Marcelle is well-versed in history, literature, and classical music, she sometimes knows more than the guides at museums. Some of them feel a sense of superiority285-286 in these educational pursuits, both because of the intellectual aura they provide, but also because these activities are essentially financially accessible to higher social classes. Life Goals at the Superior Range: The life goals of Superior Rangers are mainly occupational149-155 and typically take years to achieve. Their objectives require patience, dedication, and the courage to live up to their potential. These individuals often experience the need to aim for a gratifying and lucrative career and somehow feel they possess the resources to achieve it. However, seldom does one witness
totally selfless or idealistic goals at this range, these individuals being more matter of fact than those in ranges above them. Michael spent his younger years studying to become a physician and help people. Georgia studied relentlessly to become a middle-school teacher. Marcelle became a literature teacher at college. Rosie, CC, and Allistair became top managers after graduating. If your I.Q. level is found in the Superior Range most of what’s below reflects who you are: (Pay close attention to the wording before answering yes or no, then count the number of times you answered yes) 1-You know quite a lot about, no more than a couple of separate topics, that have become your passions or your job. 2-You don’t mind spending time alone to indulge in your passions, but other than that, you enjoy being with cultured people. 3-You are annoyed with individuals who don’t think like most people you know or value. 4-You are really interested in certain cultural matters (music, paintings, history, geography, literature, cinema etc.…). 5-You want to be or currently are in a managerial position or an intellectual profession. 6-You usually feel intellectually superior to dissenting voices in your field of expertise. 7-You are interested in scientific matters but barely knowledgeable or competent in them. 8-You have tried creating works of arts or craftsmanship. 9-Aside from your family, your main life goals have been occupational. 10-You enjoy refined food and melody in music. 11-You don’t shun away from unfamiliar activities or savors. 12-Most people consider you cultured and smart. 13-Most of your friends are in a managerial position or an intellectual profession. 14-You are absolutely certain to be right about the matters you know well. 15-You enjoy traveling abroad with your spouse, a few friends, or a small group. 16-You enjoy museums, plays, conferences, exhibitions, classical or jazz concerts. 17-You agree with most people on what is ethical or not. 18-You always trust scientists and experts. 19-You are easily annoyed with incompetent or slow people. 20-You feel dogmatic or traditionalist people aren’t very smart.
Chapter 2 : The “Gifted”, The Neuro-atypicals (I.Q. above 130) 2.5% Countless books already exist on giftedness266;however, they are habitually written by psychologists who offer their knowledge as outsiders. As an insider, I wish to provide a glimpse into what being gifted entails, the resulting advantages, and struggles. Clearly, gifted people still remain a mystery to most Neurotypicals and even sometimes to themselves. Essentially, there are really TWO main types of gifted individuals, for psychology and cognitive behavior become particularly unconventional around the 145 mark160: 1- The Moderately Gifted who present an I.Q. level between 130 and 144 and comprise approximately 95% of all gifted individuals. 2- The Highly, Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted who display a score superior to 145 and are the remaining 5%.
1. What Do All the Gifted Have in Common? The brain structure of the Gifted69-169 differs from that of the Neurotypicals, in this manner they are considered neurodivergent256 (distinct from the neurological standards). The higher the I.Q. rank, the higher the discrepancy between all the mental abilities178 exhibited by the same person. This leads to uneven cognitive profiles, with stronger and weaker domains (not necessarily demonstrated in sanctioned I.Q. subtests), particularly at the Profoundly Gifted level. In addition, the higher one is positioned on the giftedness spectrum, the less intelligence is specialized180 . Among the gifted population, extra interconnections between certain key areas of the brain169 coupled with faster neurons69 are present, in this way, enhancing effectiveness and speed. Similarly, atypical sleep patterns161 which enable brain flexibility and better memorization161 facilitate early development in speech, movement and reading in infants. Undeniably, gifted individuals show a very distinctive sleep pattern of six cycles161 , instead of four, along with a higher rate of REM (paradoxical) sleep161 and greater frequency of rapid eye movement 161 during dream phases. During REM sleep cycles serotonin production gets stalled161 . This may partly explain the higher chance of depression among gifted people. The Gifted also exhibit strong memories of personal life events filled with many sensory details and emotions292 . In a nutshell, gifted individuals have the flexibility of a child’s brain in a fully-grown body. Gifted people exceedingly resort to abstract thinking293, they tend to overthink370 and analyze every possible outcome. No matter the topic, their brains never stop churning. Excruciatingly self-aware and conscious of their own limits294 , usually interested in science and difficult topics, quite well-read in matters they are passionate about, they love intellectual stimulations190 and even show craving for knowledge162 in the upper ranges. Their raw brain power permits them to conduct several tasks simultaneously293 (for instance, studying while listening to a conversation). They display what is known as low latent inhibition61-63 of the brain: their mental functioning being more adaptable, most sensory stimuli are continuously taken into account by the brain. In that way, the brain keeps processing data, even if not necessarily fully consciously; nonetheless, it creates a constant state of vigilance61 of the entire nervous system which augments its fragility. Gifted people show difficulty letting go and falling asleep163, being hypersensitive they are also prone to frustrations 173 . This aforementioned early and rapid brain development occasions greater predispositions to mood and anxiety disorders164-179-180-202 , as well as some neurological dysfunctions164 such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and many other learning disabilities which tend to be somewhat balanced by high intelligence343 so as not to be that conspicuous to the untrained eye. The Gifted have higher occurrences of immune dysfunctions the “hyper-brain / hyper-body” 164 link which triggers unusual body responses. There’s intensified existence of high functioning autism164-165 in that population as well.
Goals, in the gifted ranges are wide-ranging, life altering and may take a lifetime to achieve learning one or several foreign languages, authoring a book, understanding quantum physics, inventing a new device, finding a cure, protecting the environment etc. Of course, gifted people don’t always complete these goals, but they linger on their minds, whether in imagination or in reality. Gifted individuals, in the higher ranges, display some degree of social awkwardness linked to harboring a distinct set of values and interests321-324 from those of the average person. So, unless they are lucky enough to work in a high-brow field, full of high I.Q. peers, they will find themselves in a group, whose functioning feels unnatural, which can be overwhelming, especially with the inconsistencies in most people’s behaviors and ethics. Moreover, their difficulties in the workplace, are magnified by their inability to follow authority blindly166 . In spite of those struggles, gifted people’s connections to others are strong and innate178-179-180 , they are easily chosen as confidents. Similarly, feeling that humane kinship deeply, they are generally more helpful and kinder than Neurotypicals167 , unless aggravated by somebody or something. On the other hand, the Gifted apply dark humor168, wit and irony a lot to communicate so as to put a safe distance between themselves and others. Since they care a great deal about everything and everybody to the point of constantly being busy analyzing, examining, scrutinizing, inspecting, searching, checking etc…the gifted are always more impassioned and emotional than average121 . Their nervous system is ceaselessly assaulted by stimuli that are difficult to ignore, creating what is known in psychology as “overexcitabilities” 108 and the resulting emotional and mental intensity. However, surprisingly resilient170 in spite of their habitual emotional distress, they tend to show a lower rate of serious psychiatric illnesses but, then again, a higher frequency of anxiety disorders, depression, allergies and autism164 than in the average population. Extremely realistic about themselves and life in general, they seem to be in a sort of constant sorrow about what might have been or deprived of the existence they had dreamt to lead. Yet, very idealistic in their hopes and dreams, they often fantasize about greatness or power to change the world to their liking, usually for the common good. Important projects are preceded by some kind of anxious anticipation, for gifted people have trouble staying in the present, constantly thinking about the future or the past, thus triggering hyperactivity or boredom together with strong impatience363-370 . Almost equally masculine and feminine111-141 in their inner feelings and sometimes even in their appearance, they are both geared towards action and sensation. The most noteworthy quality, as I.Q. scores grow, is an increasing openness to experience147-162 . It doesn’t necessarily mean risk-taking, but it denotes quite an adventurous propensity for trying new food, discovering new places, encountering new persons, new cultures, traveling etc…. At the same time, these folks are natural-born creators171-172-179 or very interested in the arts, harmony, and aesthetics293. They frequently display strong artistic talents in music, drawing, painting, or story-telling etc…. furthermore, extremely creative, and inventive people almost always enjoy remarkably high I.Q. levels171-172 . Morality and selflessness 293 come with the territory in giftedness, the higher one's I.Q. level, usually the higher one's moral principles179-234 . Yet, some famous villains were gifted365, but seemed to have chosen a distinct set of values to abide to, so as to still regard themselves as decent folks.
A word about Gifted people’s physique and their development as toddlers: Their bodies are fitter and more symmetrical132, their faces are more androgynous111 and expressive302, with a more focused and intense gaze114, than those of Neurotypicals, thanks to heightened emotions293 . A slightly higher proportion of them are taller than average175 . They also tend to display messy handwriting174 due to asynchronous development210 of their brains and bodies as well as a propensity to daydream175 . As infants, they frequently started standing up and talking earlier175-176 than the average person, never resorting to baby-talk207 . They were highly curious293 toddlers, with an intense gaze, always asking why things are the way they are. They learned how to read years before176 their age peers, sometimes by teaching themselves195 . They matured intellectually before the emotional component of their personality was able to measure up293 . What sets them apart? Apart from these shared characteristics, one may notice greater differences among the Gifted than among members of other ranges298-307. This is due to their higher intelligence in certain particular fields122 . Since intelligence is never evenly distributed across different domains in a person's brain, some individuals may be, for example, excellent at math while others are more at ease with psychology or languages. This creates, among gifted individuals, specific profiles with uneven skills, occasionally, making it hard for the untrained eye to perceive overall aptitude.
2.The Moderately Gifted Range [MG] or [HIQ] (IQ: 130 to 144) nearly 2% Moderately gifted people (MGs), also known as “High I.Q. People” (HIQ) represent nearly the entirety of gifted people. While they comprise only roughly 2 % of the general population, they characterize 95% of “The Gifted”. Their struggles and skills are depicted in all the books about giftedness266 . There are two underlying reasons why psychologists usually portray moderately gifted individuals. First of all, they represent a very high percentage of “The Gifted”. Second of all, they are more likely to seek professional help, being more social291 and closer to the average health professional's intellect level89 than individuals in higher ranges. They are overrepresented among famous people, may it be in the arts, because of their natural creativity179 and intuition179, or in sports thanks to their higher stamina 179-204 , or even sometimes in politics by means of their greater motivation181 . However, they don't necessarily hold prestigious positions such as doctors, lawyers, managers, engineers who are primarily occupied by smart Neurotypicals89-90 (see chapter about The Superior Range) still, many may be found in academia366-373 . Moderately Gifted people (MGs) display a type of psychology that is reasonably close to that of the Superior Rangers except for a few peculiarities. They amount to about 2% of the general population; their I.Q. score is found between 130 and 144. Here as well, I will resort to situations taken from the lives of members of that range: Cecilia, Roger, Wolfgang, Aldric, Frank, Thomas, Noel, Igor, Gerald, Mary, Mario, and Gloria. All the names have been changed and all the situations have been somewhat altered. Cognitive Abilities at the Moderately Gifted Range: Moderately Gifted individuals [MGs] are much smarter than average, but not as much as the untrained eye might believe, for, their cleverness in mainly focused on a couple of strong areas178-181-186 . They tend to be good or even excellent at those fields, in which their attention293 and memory292- 293 are tremendous, yet their cognitive performance is regular in most other domains. In their average-skilled spheres, their perception and opinions are usually both uninformed and lazy179. Overall, it gives an impression of high pervasive intelligence along with a surprising lack of reflection179 suddenly appearing, from time to time, during the course of a conversation. The closer their score is to the bottom of the range (130) the more they tend to exhibit this surprising inconsistency. Consequently, they often suffer from the “impostor syndrome”179 in their strong domains (estimating they perform much worse than they actually do) coupled with a complex of
superiority in their weaker fields 92-93, (thinking they are right while basing themselves on dubious facts or inferences). Not unlike Superior Rangers, MGs show a fervent desire to know181 certain matters, but not strong enough to bypass their sometimes natural narcissistic need to be right179-290 or their emotional necessity to join very mainstream-thinking179 intellectual groups. Cecilia would tell everybody she is always right while carefully forgetting each time she had been wrong in the past. Similarly, Roger thinks he knows very little about science (although he knows quite a bit) but likes to school his friends on geopolitics although all he knows he heard it from a handful of talking heads on TV. Aldric has a knack for history but no real grasp of scientific concepts although he thinks he knows better in that realm. Mary is very competent at her job but lousy at expressing herself in written English, nevertheless she keeps correcting other people’s perfectly grammatical sentences. Unlike the average person who reflects primarily in an analytical103 , step by step, fashion, the Moderately Gifted think in images, intuition, feelings179 ... taking one thought and extending it in all directions at once179. Their efficient information processing enables them to synthesize several parts of an idea into one single step103 . Being equipped with a more conceptual brain than the “Normies”, they are able to extrapolate ready-made notions189 into an enhanced broader understanding and expand those views further. That peculiar brain functioning may present problems for students who, in spite of knowing the right answer to a question, may show difficulty in explaining their reasoning179 . Wolfgang once thought his geometry problem was so obvious that he was unable to explain his answer to the teacher and was awarded an F. In spite of their enhanced cognitive style, MGs are still reliant on binary logic189-217 (right/wrong), seeing many matters in black and white instead of shades of grey. Frank is adamant that, in every conflict, there’s always a right side and a wrong side that some of the combatants are honorable while others are immoral. Aldric believe that whoever disagrees with him is necessarily wrong. Independence of Mind at the Moderately Gifted Range: The openness of mind and curiosity of Moderately Gifted people stops at what can be considered a random point by higher ranges. Out of laziness or lack of interest179 in gathering their own facts, MGs are no stranger to ready-made ideas189 they may use as a weapon in conversations with anyone who dares think for themselves or share opposing views (especially at the bottom of the range). Likewise, they may ignore facts when their mind is already made up. In most intellectual domains, these individuals keep inner models179 acquired before adulthood, may they originate from relatives or society, and readily endorse anything that might make them look noble or accepted by their intellectual sphere. Often needing the social cushion of conventional ideas, as if anxious about thinking for themselves, they adhere to very mainstream179 or trendy concepts, advocating any opinion considered cool or widely recognized as respectable by their intellectual bubble. If for some reason the group evolves, they are likely to
change opinions accordingly. Fearing the judgement of their peers179-294 , they regularly strive to appear politically correct but not as much as people in the Superior Range. Aldric thinks that if someone starts questioning what he was told, they necessarily are idiots and should not be included in any further conversation. Roger, Gerald, and Noel who think of themselves as very upright, like to insult anyone who disagrees with them on politics. Frank repeats blindly, his beloved movie stars’ opinions, as he believes they are always right. Fairly Good Intuition and Introspection at the Moderately Gifted Range: MGs show instincts and intuition179 about situations, events, other people, but also occasionally about themselves. However, for especially narcissistic MGs, introspection may occasionally cause distress, for they intermittently get a glimpse of how others view them when their behavior is less than pleasant. Frank feels bad when he realizes he’s hurt someone’s feelings by putting them down, but that doesn’t prevent him from doing it again and again. MGs frequently guess the likely adverse consequences of a behavior or what the synergy of a conversation will translate into. Frank can tell whenever two people are at odds with each other, even if no word is being exchanged, just by noticing body language and tension in the atmosphere. Some Moderately Gifted individuals even exhibit psychic faculties, such as lucid dreaming 184 or having a hunch of what is going to happen a few hours or days before the event. Cecilia dreamt her grandfather was going to die a couple of days before it happened. Roger is very intuitive even if what he foresees doesn’t always occur. Gerald, who dabbles into esoterism, experiences lucid dreams regularly. Enhanced Empathy at the Moderately Gifted Range: MGs are more naturally in tune with their environments than the previous ranges, they perceive nature and other beings more intensely. They display strong compassion for the underprivileged, together with a propensity to sense people’s feelings and emotions, to such an extent that, they sometimes attempt to save the world with humanitarian179 endeavors. Mary has many compassionate qualities and once thought about helping the poor. Frank always tries to help a friend is distress but complains about it afterwards. MGs’ superior empathy, or rather their predisposition to being overwhelmed by other people’s feelings179 , is often noticed in their life goals (see end of MG chapter). On the contrary, when they don’t resort to empathy, male MGs especially, frequently appear conceited and arrogant189 . This behavior may be explained by unexpected low self-esteem179
(due to the “Impostor Syndrome294-367”) combined with high self-confidence179 due to having their opinions and skills regularly praised by family and teachers. Cecilia can show incredible empathy at a moment and be insufferably full of herself the next. Aldric is very indulgent with people in difficult situations but not with someone who disagrees with him. Noel is very smug but always ends up supporting his friends. In addition, MGs may, at times, feel threatened or exposed179-294 by those who appear more intelligent or knowledgeable than them. Depending on their level of insecurity during the debate, they either feel humbled or prepared to intellectually destroy that person. Roger shows empathy for the little people of the far lands he travels to but needs to humiliate anyone who disagrees with his views during the course of a conversation. Of course, due to elevated sensitivity293, if an MG hasn't been raised in a supporting environment, he or she is bound to exhibit very low self-confidence and humility. The “Overexitabilities” of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: Moderately Gifted folks are impatient, easily frustrated181 and excessive179 in everything they do, think, plan, hope for, love etc… It’s one of the most reliable signs of giftedness. They are highly intelligent in a few fields only178-181-186, all other skills being close to average. Therefore, they regularly exhibit a feeling of inadequacy, or illegitimacy in their achievements, either questioning their intelligence or feeling obnoxiously superior to everybody else, sometimes at the same time. With one foot in the neurotypical255 world and another in the gifted realm, their discrepancy in neurological abilities exacerbates their anxiety179 . Gloria, Frank, Thomas, Wolfgang, Roger, Aldric, Gerald, Mary and Cecilia have a tough time sleeping at night because of their easily excitable brains and their pervasive anxiety. Fearful of their thoughts and emotions, because of incontrollable mental excitabilities, they are inclined to succumb to any type of addictions179. Those can range from gaming to drugs, anything to ease their often-tortured self. As it has been remarked that alcohol transitorily lowers one’s intelligence182, at least during the drunkenness phase (and maybe also permanently if heavily absorbed) some MGs resort to drinking, in the unconscious hope of bridging the gap183 between the Neurotypicals and themselves. Roger, Thomas, Frank, and Gerald drink alcohol every day to relax, Mary resorts to yoga. Thomas collects comic books as if his life depended on it, carefully categorizing them in many ways and making sure nobody reads them lest a page is slightly creased. MG's brains being more easily excited108 than those of the “Normies”, they are sensitive to a large number of stimuli. Usually bothered by strong lights, noises, smells, rough fabrics, comments they consider stupid, they are known for outbursts of annoyance at people for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Frank is in the habit of putting people down for nearly no reason when he gets annoyed, of course he doesn’t accept this behavior towards him.
Cecilia attacks people whenever she feels overwhelmed by a situation, becomes jealous of them because she feels she’s losing control and finally attacks them constantly. Similarly, MGs’ inquisitive curiosity and their propensity to oppose what they don’t value spur high resistance to authority166 . The Shifting Ethics of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: Morality179, at this range, can be quite elevated, at least in certain areas. Surprisingly, this noble stance may suddenly transform into very fluctuating ethical standards to accommodate a strong wish, a personal opinion, or to reject a person whose views are too alien to comprehend. Frank, who is pretty ethical and law-abiding, loves TV shows. Consequently, he thinks he’s entitled to download them for free on illegal websites, even though, he would feel really bad if he were to be in a theater without a valid ticket. Roger, Aldric, Noel and Gerald are very civilized, until they face someone who disagrees with them on anything they hold dear. Cecilia believes it’s okay to be horrible to someone as long as she feels annoyed by that person. Still, MGs generally unwaveringly advocate the causes they believe in, especially in their youth. The Semi-Introverted Lifestyle of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: Being around the limit of “perceived intelligence”94 (an I.Q. score of 140), these people are regularly praised for their intellectual abilities, but not necessarily challenged enough to doubt themselves much (as opposed to individuals with a score above that threshold). Still, many male MGs feel emotionally insecure179 enough to regularly compete 189 with others so as to convince themselves of their intellectual superiority. Moreover, many MGs are inclined towards stubbornness and emotional immaturity179 as well as prone to self-sabotaging tantrums or at least harsh unsolicited remarks. Aldric, Cecilia, Frank, Thomas, and Roger cannot think past their cherished opinions, becoming frustrated and attacking dissenters rather than pondering what they just said. As a rule, MGs remain loyal179 to their loved ones but highly unreliable, able to endanger their relationships over meaningless squabbles. Besides, because they value intelligence291 and knowledge186 , they customarily exhibit deep-seated frustration with others, in short, they don’t “suffer fools gladly”. Noel relishes in putting down those who, according to him, hold illogical standpoints. Frank is annoyed at incompetence and ignorance. Additionally, some MGs dread the judgment of their peers179-294. They may appear terrified at the idea of being socially rejected or not perceived as part of the “smart and cultured” group. More at ease in the neurotypical world than in the realm of highly gifted individuals, MGs' natural Boolean (right/wrong) logic189-217 is always a sad surprise for people of higher ranges who assumed they had run into an intellectual peer and are left frustrated.
Frank, Cecilia, Thomas, and Roger usually think in a black and white, right, or wrong, yes, or no, logic with no place for very nuanced points of views. Roger rejects anyone who does not subscribe to scientific theories he barely understands, because, according to him, replacing older flawed theories with better ones is, somehow, being against science!!! Whereas MGs usually spend prolonged periods of time by themselves293 exploring their many areas of interest293, most of them enjoy the company291 of the professed intellectual crowd: members of their own range and the Superior Range. Like the latter, they are likely to enjoy being regarded as the knowledgeable one186 at a dinner party. Frank and Aldric spend inordinate amounts of time watching TV shows and reading comics. In spite of that solitary tendency, they often spend entire evening chatting with their like-minded friends. The Moderately Gifted enjoy talking about knowledge, facts, science, ideas, traveling, mainstream opinions, food or wine in a gourmet fashion, experiences they’ve had, occasionally how they shut somebody up. Often very talkative in their preferred fields293, their speech is elaborate179-180-293, sometimes intricate and shows substantial knowledge 186 . Aldric can talk for hours about arts or politics rarely letting his audience squeeze in a word edgewise, when that happens, he swiftly thinks about it, answers briefly and goes back to his grandiloquent speech. Frank, Cecilia, and Thomas dominate conversations by staying on their preferred topics regardless of the interlocutor. Creativity at the Moderately Gifted Range: A consequence to MGs’ emotional and intellectual sensitivity is a tendency to be creative171-172 , or at least, to be extremely interested in the arts293. Many writers, many musicians, many chefs, many actors and so forth are moderately gifted179 . They frequently need that fame or recognition, for heaps of praise give them the validation they seek290 . When they are interested in something, their strong energy level helps them get in the flow and keep their focus293 going for extended periods of time, thus, facilitating the creative process. That’s one of the main traits of giftedness. Cecilia and Noel write stories; Roger’s hobbies revolve around the movie industry; Wolfgang plays piano and composes scores; Frank is into symphonic music; Gerald draws and paints regularly; Gloria dances and cooks. Many MGs are what is colloquially referred to as nerds293. They are big fans of music, TV shows, movies, games, comic books etc… that they frequently collect from an early age and know everything about. Wolfgang and Frank collect anime and TV shows; Cecilia and Aldric collect children’s books; Gerald collects seashells; Mario collects comic books; Noel collects old LPs albums. The Adventurous Way of Life of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: Very adventurous147-162, ready to dive into new experiences of many types, Moderately Gifted individuals are fun to be around while they keep their congenial and playful mood.
Noel, Wolfgang, Roger, and Frank love traveling to faraway lands, sometimes on their own to better mix with the locals. Cecilia went to China on her own because it had been her life-long dream. Mario and Mary go to many places to do many exciting activities, but always with their spouses and children. Wolfgang and Frank love trying very exotic foods and drinks as well as unusual sports. However, if they start seeing the glass half-empty, the adventure, may on occasion, take a more frustrating turn of events for the rest of the group. In social settings, Frank keeps noticing every little detail that is not to his liking or rather like knowledgeable or cultured people are supposed to do it, according to him. Cecilia throws a tantrum when she doesn’t get what she wants. On the other hand, certain MGs are too terrified179 by improbable unpleasant outcomes to let their adventurous self take over and choose a sheltered lifestyle. Gerald, on the other hand is overly cautious; he rarely leaves his home, his adventurousness is only witnessed in his many passions; Aldric doesn’t travel either. The Selective Exceptional Memory of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: MGs retain a large quantity of factual knowledge thanks to their highly observant293 minds as well as their stupendous memory185-293 in their domains of passion, but also in any matter attracting their attention because of its noteworthy quality. At times, they are able, years later, to remember a figure or a fact and mention it to an astonished audience. Frank and Aldric can name actors, film titles, directors, book authors, music composers, the number of seasons in a TV show along with what happens to the characters, the year it was released etc.… Gerald remembers many scientific facts and, at the drop of a hat, is able to start lecturing whoever happens to be in his vicinity. Mario can cite the publishing year of every comic book he owns out of thousands. Noel remembers all of the games played by his favorite football team. At the same time, what they are not interested in may slip their minds altogether, even if it’s common knowledge. Thomas can remember many details about the cases he’s working on, many more than his coworkers but one day he forgot which city was the capital of Canada. Frank once forgot some of the names of the planets in our solar system. The Extensive Culture of the Moderately Gifted Rangers [MGs]: Since MGs possess impressive memory in their fields of interest, they are quite learned and exhibit encyclopedic culture186 in at least a few fields. Their cultural knowledge is often located
in the arts but may also be scientific, historical, geopolitical etc… It can either be focused on certain aspects or all-encompassing, mainstream, or niche. Because of their intellectual intensity, MGs’ culture frequently extends further and deeper than that of Superior Rangers. Noel, a writer, is at the same time truly knowledgeable about football, music, literature, and political figures from the last decades. Frank knows his way around classical music, Flemish painters and Sci-fi. Mary’s culture revolves around sculptors, portraitists, novelist, and chefs. Cecilia is into anime, manga, and the Japanese language which she speaks well. Life Goals at the Moderately Gifted Range: Because they aren’t that emotionally removed from them, MGs’ life goals are frequently close to those of Neurotypicals289, but artistical and idealistic selfless aspirations exist as well. Igor studied to become a surgeon and repair injuries to improve people’s lives. Cecilia’s goals involve buying a house and moving to Japan. Noel wants to be a successful novelist and inspire people. Gerald and Aldric, who are in their 40’s, still want to heal the world. Roger wants to become a famous actor. Gloria wants to build a large mansion to be able to share it with her whole family. School subjects being sometimes unchallenging for them, MGs show a tendency towards poor self-discipline179 if they’ve never had to work hard at anything. As a result, they may well show incredible laziness and procrastination179 in every situation they don’t value enough. I’m told there is even a habit among members of Mensa (I.Q. level in the MG range for most adherents) to promote a purposeless lazy lifestyle204 . Frank would have liked to be a musician except he has never been dedicated enough to learn how to read a score or play an instrument, he wishes knowledge would enter his brain by osmosis and he would know how to play violin instantly. On the contrary, because of their many skills, these individuals may also be tempted to carry out too many projects simultaneously204 . Certain MGs alleviate their anxiety that way by being too busy to think. If your I.Q. is in the moderately gifted range, most of what’s below reflects who you are: (Pay close attention to the wording before answering yes or no, then count the number of times you answered yes) 1-You are often annoyed by stupid comments or behaviors. 2-You are passionate about a couple of topics, you are very knowledgeable about, in which you show strong memory skills. 3-You don’t mind being alone to enjoy your passions. 4-You often feel smarter and more knowledgeable than others, but also feel lacking in certain intellectual areas. 5-You think scientists are always right and people who think differently are dumb. 6-You are a keen observer and notice many tiny details all day long.
7-You can remain engrossed in a task you enjoy for hours without losing your focus or feeling tired. 8-You value culture and knowledge but most importantly intelligence in other people. 9-You are afraid someone might notice how little you know about (or understand) certain topics. 10-You are always ready to try something new. 11-You can tell how people are feeling just by looking at them. 12-Some of your dreams are larger than life or difficult to achieve. 13-You feel misunderstood by most people. 14-You either feel full of energy or really lazy. 15-You are very interested in arts and sometimes are an artist yourself. 16-You rarely doubt yourself but fear being judged by people you consider intelligent. 17-You are easily bothered by noise, light, rough fabric on your skin…. 18-You are regarded as condescending or harsh by lots of people. 19-You have innocuous addictions such as: gaming, binge-watching, collecting, researching topics etc. 20-You understand and know a lot more than most people without really studying much.
3.The Highly Gifted [HG] (IQ: 145 to 159); The Exceptionally Gifted [EG] (IQ: 160 to 174) and The Profoundly Gifted [PG] (IQ: 175+): 0.1%. Collectively [VHIQ] Very High I.Q. people [VHIQ] include the Highly Gifted [HG] presenting an I.Q. score from 145 to 159, the Exceptionally Gifted [EG] with an I.Q. score from 160 to 174 and the Profoundly Gifted [PG] boasting an I.Q. score above 175 (180 according to certain psychometricians who use a 16-point standard deviation188). These people all fall into the gifted category, but their psychology and mental abilities are utterly different from what is witnessed at the moderately gifted range. With the VHIQs, we are really entering the world of the purely Neuro-atypicals. At 3 standard deviations (3SD) above the intellectual norm, so roughly above 145 or 150 a strange phenomenon occurs. People are no longer specialized180 in a couple of knowledge areas. They display global insights and intuitive356 understanding in all parts of their lives: they are integrated thinkers 138 . The overall emotional and intellectual functioning of Very High I.Q. people [VHIQ] is similar in many ways. Nevertheless, the higher the I.Q. level is, the greater the brain performance, the stronger the “overexcitabilities” 230, the more unusual the behavior, the more prevalent the cognitive disorders199-343 . Apart from an increase in raw brain power, social complications138 , and susceptibility to autistic traits193 as one lands further on the right end of the bell curve, these individuals, who show very dissimilar personalities239-314 , are nevertheless reasonably homogeneous in their difficulties, needs, drive, and brain biology compared to the previous ranges all-together. In a nutshell, PGs have deeper, more intricate thinking and more relational issues than EGs who also possess stronger abilities to reason and more emotional troubles than HGs. Their overuse of the brain regions involved in abstraction191-194 causes VHIQs to be less at ease with words180 than their MG counterparts. Nonetheless, they are better suited than MGs for visual and spatial logic180 and present stronger skills in patterns discernment and connections187 . VHIQs’ reasoning, as well as their sequential, analytic, deductive, and inductive treatment of information is more effective. Their brain is more potent, it requires less glucose59 to complete the same task, its neurons are faster 69, and the connections between both encephalic hemispheres are more efficient58 . When they take traditional I.Q. tests, such as the WAIS for example, unless stricken with twice-exceptionality121-368 , all their subtests homogeneously fall within gifted range or nearly178. Understandably, this different brain also translates emotionally and psychologically. To demonstrate it, I will explore the VHIQs as a whole before addressing the specificities of the Exceptionally and the Profoundly Gifted Rangers. To sum it up, the higher the range, the stronger the characteristics234 I’m reviewing in this next chapter. VHIQ people add up to about only 0.1% of the entire population and about 5% of the gifted ; their I.Q. score is found above 145.
I will employ situations taken from the lives of members of these ranges: Cameron (HG), Sasha (HG), Dick (HG), Donald (HG), Helen (HG), Zach (HG), Teddy (EG), Tony (EG), Javier (EG), Wilfried (EG), Ezekiel (EG), Walter (PG), Kyle (PG), Joshua (PG) and Nathan (PG). All the names and situations have been transformed, as usual. The Extraordinary Mental Abilities of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs are integrated thinkers 138 with high desire to know who create their own concepts187 in a few or many domains. Integrated thinkers both use analysis369 (from a single concept to many) and synthesis369 (from many concepts to a single) at the same time: they find patterns in intricate data187, perceiving elaborate connections between what appears as unconnected pieces of information187 . Subsequently, VHIQs create their own matrices to organize data and tend to work in terms of metaphors, analogies187 , and paradoxes. They resort to holistic180 and probabilistic189 thinking to extrapolate these concepts. Unlike other ranges, they revel in thinking for the sole pleasure of thinking198 , and that, especially in metaphors198 . They are endowed with very efficient information processing except when emotionally disturbed. Their interests, thought patterns and humor stack several strata of meaning187 ;likewise, their capacity for abstraction191 is tremendous. Their thinking is deeper, personal, coherent, and generally objective as opposed to MGs who tend to be both excessive and conformist in their ideas. Kyle makes a point of remaining as objective as possible whatever the topic. VHIQ individuals are meta-thinkers180-187 , meaning they tend to be mindful of their own mental processes in order to focus their thinking purposefully: they could be speaking, be attentive to their arguments and their position in space, be analyzing their behavior and the wording used, be thinking of a counterargument someone could point out, and all the while noticing every possible angles of their opinion as well as a conversation nearby. Wilfried is aware of the conversation he’s having at the same time as possible counterarguments, and of what the listener may think of his point of view. An impressive learning aptitude: Integrated thinking gives VHIQs strong learning capacities but also, prevents them from recalling distinct pieces190 of knowledge, as, they learn by linking information189 to the concepts they already know. Thus, they can be oblivious to matters that are of little significance or value to them but may appear paramount to the non-gifted and MGs alike. Wilfried didn’t remember it was Sunday and drove to work, he noticed something was off when he found out he was the only one in the office . Kyle believes it doesn’t matter if his theories appear not to be 100% true as long as they work most of the time. VHIQs are able to understand an explanation before it’s finished, and frequently, heed complex implications 194 or perceive myriads of alternate meanings187-194-198 in a question, hence their need
for great precision. This ingrained functioning increases their perception, as seen from somebody else’s point of view, all-the-while enhancing nuanced viewpoints. They show a tendency to be autodidacts210 , able to study better by themselves, at their own pace, than they would with a teacher. Unlike other ranges VHIQs literally crave knowledge138-180-190 in all their domains of interest. Wilfried taught himself French as a teenager and quickly surpassed all his classmates and even the teacher. Sasha learnt a foreign language as a child and speaks it now like a native. Ezekiel read the greatest authors as a teenager and now wants to understand everything about psychology. They create their own theories: One aspect that sets VHIQs apart from people of lower I.Q. levels is the urge to put everything into a greater theory 187 as if every situation, event, or fact existed, as a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, that had to fit together. Aided by their holistic brain functioning180, they are able to see the big picture more than anyone else. That process involves putting together subjects, events, facts, and measurements deemed isolated187 . Whereas Neurotypicals and MGs clarify a situation, or a thought, by expressing details179 and particulars, VHIQs present perfectly crafted theories180-187 to the listener. Wilfried and Cameron form theories about every interesting topic which they test against reality. Ezekiel almost always knows why a person behaves in a particular way because he is able to see the link between all the different psychological knowledge areas. Unlike everybody else, when VHIQs witness a detail that doesn't fit their theory they amend their worldviews 189 to reflect that new information. Consequently, they keep improving and honing these models all their lives. Since they are able to hold different possible explanations for a single occurrence in their intricate mind, they simply switch to a more plausible theory to fit the outcome and toss aside the incorrect interpretation. Cameron, who is really interested in astrophysics, revamped his whole theory, of the beginning of the universe, when his friend remarked that Dark Energy was pushing galaxies away faster. VHIQs have a deep-seated need to understand329 nearly everything. Their brains must make sense of each element of importance. They are in the habit of noticing slights differences or similarities between people, facts, and events while obsessively wondering about the underlying reasons. That’s how they come up with new breakthroughs. As children, their gaze looks more inquisitive114-175, they notice their surroundings more180 and make their family ill at ease with their questions or smart comments. They never use baby talk175- 176-207, often talking in full sentences at an early age180-188 (at 8 months old on average for PGs). They read earlier than other children188 and some have been known to teach themselves to how read195 (mostly EGs and PGs). Wilfried, at 3 years old, was told by an adult that a “moo-moo” was in a meadow, a term he didn’t use, he came home thinking the adult had meant a “mammoth”, which word he was familiar with. At age 4, his parents found out that Teddy had taught himself how to read with his brother’s books.
The Definite Independence of Mind of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: At these ranges, one exhibits a weaker tendency to blindly repeat facts189, studies, theories … established by others. Unwilling leaders in their own disciplines of passion, VHIQ people like to challenge commonly accepted beliefs187 even if confronted to the wrath of those comfortable in the consensus. At the same time, there’s a decreased tendency to revise a question194 into a form one feels more comfortable answering or more knowledgeable about, thus, leading to more precise and controversial answers. VHIQs frequently lean libertarian200: they are ready to protect freedom in every shape or form, as well as in politics, in this way, going against the pure left-wing/right-wing dichotomy. Sometimes, against all expectations, they choose not to go into intellectual professions204-206 , or elect not to embrace a specific career because, such a choice, would curb their thirst for knowledge by restraining the time allocated to writing, learning, studying, thinking, reading etc. Cameron, Sasha and Wilfried have never chosen a high-status career, they hold regular jobs while they study and create on the side. In addition, VHIQs won't try to fit in204 , as would most people, in the hopes of making friends, but will look for the friends they can learn or gather experience from. Wilfried tends to choose friends who speak a language he doesn’t speak well, so as to continuously learn from his pals during the course of a conversation. Still, HGs, unlike EGs and PGs, attempt to adjust to the needs of their family, friends, and coworkers. In spite of their propensity to think for themselves, they are still very influenced by the norms of society328 as a whole, plus, their values remain closer to those of the general population. Even if he tends to think for himself, Cameron still tries to be the person others want him to be. Donald feels he should follow his family’s inkling to get married and have kids. The Elevated Intuition Skills of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: With their finely tuned senses, VHIQs are able to detect tiny details others don’t notice and aggregate them into a theory320 of what the future might hold. They often get the big picture right, if not most details. Dick intuitively knows what’s going to appeal to the customers when he develops his software. In addition, these individuals are introspective186, seeing themselves as they truly are, with their flaws and qualities, their strengths, and shortcomings, besides, they frequently reflect on how to improve themselves (particularly for EGs and PGs). Donald and Ezekiel are able to guess what the future has in store for them just by analyzing the present. The Elevated Empathy of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs display high capacity for empathy180 . They exploit some type of self-projection185-191 into somebody else’s psyche to know how that person is feeling, but also, into objects or situations. This is how VHIQs artists embody their art, so as to produce a more profound creation (for
example a writer who lives through the eyes of her characters or a chef who can already imagine the taste of the dish he is creating). Cameron and Wilfried, authors, imagine themselves in the shoes of their characters to give them a more lifelike existence. Wilfried embodies every note he plays, deeply sensing the pitch, the duration, and the harmonies he creates. These individuals are more tolerant, more compassionate, more interested in cooperation186 than the non-gifted and MGs. Unlike the latter, they exhibit more self-esteem180 since they customarily perceive they understand and know a great deal, therefore, they don’t feel the need to prove their level of intelligence to anyone. Kyle and Walter are not afraid to acknowledge they were wrong about an issue. Thanks to heightened empathy180, VHIQs are also better equipped to deeply perceive who others are210 , easily identifying intelligence, talent, qualities, and flaws. Wilfried, Ezekiel, Kyle, Walter, and Javier can intuitively tell people’s intelligence levels. They also know who’s being honest and who’s lying and how people are feeling. The Intense “Overexcitabilities” and Sensitivity of the HGs, EGs and PGs [VHIQs]: The term that defines VHIQs’ psychology best is intensity; “overexcitabilities” 180-198 (heightened mental, physical, and emotional tension) are omnipresent in their lives. Definitely, these people ponder everything very passionately and their emotions run high causing their nervous system to remain on alert61-190 . Their intensity, focus, rigorousness, and social difficulties resemble autistic behaviors 208-209 nonetheless these conducts are rarely pervasive enough to warrant a professional diagnosis193 of autism. To alleviate some of this intensity VHIQs may resort to addictive behaviors180 . Tony, Walter, and Kyle show many signs of ADHD and autism. Wilfried has a few autistic traits. For many individuals beyond the VHIQ threshold, the senses are inclined to merge 331-373, it’s a phenomenon also known as synesthesia192: seeing sounds or numbers in color, feeling their texture etc.… it’s the consequence of a brain endowed with a wider and more elaborate network. The higher the I.Q. score, the greater the likelihood of these odd, possibly incapacitating, sensations370-371 . Because of these overwhelming “overexcitabilities” certain EGs and PGs prefer to hold lowstress, low-responsibility positions180-198 so as to avoid debilitating anxiety in their lives. Teddy cleans the offices of a law-firm for a living because it gives him emotional stability and time to think. Cameron holds a menial office job by day and writes during his time off. Sasha has never wanted to have a real career so he can keep doing what he likes on the side. VHIQs show more emotional and mental “overexcitabilities” 234 (thinking in circle or overanalyzing) than MGs, hence, a greater disposition to existential depression180-202. At the same time, they show superior thirst for knowledge190 , spending hours on end studying a topic they consider fascinating.
All gifted people I have ever met show, at least, covert signs of mild depression304-306-310; these usually increase with I.Q. scores. Bothered by “overexcitabilities” to the point of appearing dumb: The sensitive nervous system164-306 of VHIQs can easily be overrun by too much information, creating an overflow of neuronal messages overwhelming the brain228. Under these circumstances, these individuals have trouble functioning normally. Not being able to focus their attention properly180, they may appear foolish or half-witted to the uninformed observer. This condition mimics ADHD symptoms193-203 in many ways. It’s not unusual for VHIQs to have a hard time being detected as gifted because of all the comorbidities199 (mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, ASD…) associated with high giftedness. These people show a higher propensity to be noticed for their negative traits than for their greater intelligence. Tony often enters a room without remembering what he came to do in there; he also mixes up words or garbles them, too often sounding like a clueless person. Donald suddenly becomes overly quiet for no obvious reasons and Zach bangs onto furniture when emotionally overwhelmed. Crippling anxiety and high sensitivity: VHIQs demonstrate an important level of anxiety180 and need for control to the point of, on occasion, craving to do a task that stresses them as soon as possible, so as to put it behind them, and feel some sort of emotional relief. It is the opposite of procrastination. Tony is in the habit of blurting out what he needs to say to a person in the first minutes he sees them in order to get it over with. Moreover, Very High IQ folks tend to be sensitive to violence and negative feelings towards themselves and others, causing them to feel terrible were they to witness such an incident. Tony witnessed a verbal clash between two employees at a local supermarket; he felt the negative emotions of these people so deeply that he felt overwhelmed. Sasha feels terrible when he notices he has hurt somebody’s feelings unpredictably. VHIQs have a rational approach to life, shunning away from strong emotions180 that could harm them. Even when that objective is met, emotional peace still seems unattainable. Somatization runs high180 among this population. This elevated level of anxiety180 translates into muscle-spams, colon troubles, memory loss, attentional difficulties even panic-attacks. Tony keeps forgetting the words he’d like to use in conversations; his co-workers think he’s not very smart. Donald shows recurring stomach issues and Helen has skin allergies. Joshua has ADHD as well as other cognitive issues. VHIQs are not above addictions, but theirs are not linked, like MGs, to a need for limit testing, but frequently, to a deep emotions avoidance strategy180 . Joshua is addicted to pain killers. Wilfried needs a lot of sugar every day to feel grounded.
Cameron loses himself in role-playing videogames for entire weekends. Afraid of their thoughts and emotions because of overpowering mental processes164-306 , they subconsciously strive to balance it all with perfectionism187 all the while abhorring repetitive tasks190 . Zach takes an awful lot of time to do his assignments because he checks everything several times. A deeper connection with themselves and the universe: VHIQs have a good sense of self-preservation; they are frequently able to sense what’s happening inside their body180, notice if something's wrong or if a particular food is good or bad for them. Some of them even notice if a particular type of food, they ingested, is being stored as fat or if they are losing weight. Likewise, they are more mindful of alcohol or caffeine190 wreaking havoc to their nervous system by noticing their blood pressure rising even just a little. Certain VHIQs are extremely sensitive to substances such as nicotine, caffeine, alcohol which impact the nervous system. Wilfried and Walter get really anxious and cannot sleep well for several days when they absorb even a tiny amount of caffeine. For fear of emotional and physical consequences, Sasha, Dick, Donald, Helen, Zach, Wilfried and Walter never drink alcohol. Consequently, they unconsciously often take better care of their health than the average person or even MGs. Their relation to the outside world is similarly intense. They are very aware of subtle changes320 in the atmosphere of a room or when someone’s mental state is modified due to anguish or illness. Some of them sense the energy190-191 of animals and plants. They experience the life force of these beings and are capable of emotionally connecting180 to people so as to understand who that person is at a deeper level. They are sometimes prone to a certain level of precognition180-190 of main events or at least future emotion pertaining to those events. Cameron can feel other people’s pain when he touches them physically. Wilfried can sense people’s energy and know exactly who they really are deep down. High Morality in the HG, EG and PG Ranges: Omnipresent morality and honesty: Something really strange happens when you reach the higher realms of intelligence: integrity and morality become more prevalent191 . People find it harder to be dishonest, hurt someone or simply tell a white lie. Some VHIQs become physically ill with guilt and dread when they notice they have wronged somebody else. They are profoundly conscious of the collective interest. In addition, they are uncomfortable being less than straightforward with others. They feel they owe their peers an important level of honesty322 and trustworthiness. It is presumably why, by spluttering what everyone else only dares think, they regularly make the average person uncomfortable.
Unless they find a noble reason behind an unlawful behavior, they will usually remain lawabiding and respectful191 . Teddy and Tony hate being dishonest; they tell people what they think of them too easily and end up hurting their feelings. Because speaking his mind has always stirred up trouble, to avoid strained relationships, Wilfried bites his tongue when what he thinks would be disparaging to his co-workers. Donald and Cameron often get in trouble for being too candid. Helen avoids dishonest people. VHIQs embody moral integrity and personal responsibility; these people resist temptation more211 than members of the previous ranges. They feel their purpose is to make things, easier, healthier, and better for everyone. Unless they are too harshly treated, they tend to be altruistic and considerate individuals186 (especially at the EG and PG ranges). Cameron, Sasha, Dick, Wilfried, Walter, Joshua and Kyle always try to do what’s best for everyone, even if it means more trouble or more work for them. The truth is stronger than their pride: Critical thinking180 means being open to new facts, being able to distance oneself from one’s opinions, being ready to reason objectively. This process is more likely to be initiated by VHIQs. While they are liable to have their feelings hurt by others, at the same time, these people are able to put their ego aside180 in their quest for the truth when exchanging with someone who respect their views and knowledge. It means they are able put their heads together to look for a better way of understanding the world, while respectfully listening to everybody's argument, changing their minds and sometimes worldviews187-189-190 when sufficient facts have been given. Dick, Donald, and Zach would rather acknowledge that they were wrong than avoid an interesting and eye-opening conversation. Wilfried doesn’t mind passing for a nitwit when speaking a foreign language, he wants to learn. Spiritual beings: Because of their strong principles and inquisitiveness most VHIQs are spiritual186 but infrequently religious, on the other hand. If so, they generally view scriptures and rites in a philosophical and universal manner. Many are into new age philosophies. Many are theists. All look for answers. Numerous VHIQs are moved by a higher calling to improve the world, striving to save humanity with arts, science, mysticism etc. Cameron strives to improve the world with his creations. Dick endeavors to help the elderly with his software. Zach wants to bring knowledge to people with his articles on history. Teddy and Walter want people to know more about giftedness. Ezekiel wants to make everybody think more deeply about world issues.
Kyle uses spirituality to change the world through his transcendental meditation classes. The Loneliness of the HG, EG, and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs are lonely outsiders; they are virtually never in synch with anyone. The main reason is known as the threshold of understandability81 . Indeed, above a certain level, intelligence is unfathomable to most people. That threshold is roughly at 140: right under the VHIQ mark. Above that, almost nobody is able to notice any increase in intelligence94 . Even worse, when someone's I.Q. level is way above 140 that person’s thinking appears so alien in his or her functioning, that his or her perceived intelligence decreases in the eye of an observer. The reason is simple: no one is equipped to fully comprehend another person if the I.Q. gap, between the two, is greater than 30 points (2SDs)81 . As a result, a person with a score of 100 is capable of grasping another with a score between 70 and 130 but can never apprehend a VHIQ's thinking process because it feels crazy or stupid to an average person. VHIQs recurrently sound dumb to people of average intelligence; they must truly achieve an amazing feat to be regarded as the intelligent persons they truly are205 . So, while Neurotypicals (score under 130) are understood by 96% of humanity, an HG can only be fathomed by someone at least in the Superior Range (16%). Similarly, an EG can only connect with 2% of the population (people with an I.Q. score above 130), a PG with 0.1% (people above 145), it is no wonder they feel lonely. VHIQs are often engrossed319 in a task or busy daydreaming308; they are not always ready to communicate. During a conversation they may come off as inquisitively curious (if interested) or completely bored190 . Their speech is precise198, intricate372, sometimes circumvoluted; besides, due to emotional difficulties speech impediments may be present. They try conveying all the nuances they feel, never talking in absolutes, always keeping in mind they might not be 100% right. Many had imaginary friends201 and regularly think up parts of their lives190 to the point of having make-believe conversations with thinkers or interesting characters. Zach, Wilfried, Ezekiel and Walter often imagine the interesting conversations they could have had with famous scientists, or creators. VHIQs don’t necessarily talk a lot, except with I.Q. peers as they delight in exchanging deep thoughts, hard science concepts, unusual opinions198 they harbor, holistic theories187 they came up with. In addition to their natural tendencies to isolation, satisfying their knowledge craving138-180-190 may take up a good part of their free time to the detriment of socialization. Wilfried spends a good chunk of his time learning science and foreign languages. To add insult to injury, these individuals tend to lack self-confidence180, oftentimes to the point of being push-overs. Subsequently, they avoid bullies, everybody who make them feel insecure or pull them down. Helen avoids people she feels unconformable with. Sadly, that's most people. Despite looking balanced and often being better accepted than MGs180-311-312-334, who display sometimes-antagonistic tempers179-333-334, VHIQs like to keep to themselves a lot for emotional
safety204. They get others talking so they don’t have to divulge too much about themselves, thus avoiding judgement. Cameron, Sasha, Dick, Donald, Tony, Wilfried and Walter resort to humor a lot to keep people at bay and avoid feeling uncomfortable. There are typically 3 strategies used by VHIQs to avoid being rejected and socially isolated according to Grady Towers81: 1- Getting several PhDs and becoming a renowned scientist, psychologist, or historian etc. 2- Leaving school without graduating and not following the rules of society. 3- Holding a position devoid of responsibility and creating, learning, and researching during one's free time. Dick, Donald, Helen, Kyle, Zach, and Ezekiel have chosen path #1. Cameron chose path #2 but has started a writing career now. Sasha chose path #2 as well but went to live abroad. Teddy, Tony, Wilfried, and Walter have chosen path #3. The Otherworldly Creativity of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: Purposeful creator: The need to create is something VHIQs have in common with MGs. But whereas MGs are frequently artistic, VHIQs’ creativity is more ubiquitous190 and can also be witnessed outside of the arts. These folks create highly original academic work and spot humorous situations everywhere. They are tireless workers and learners197-198 in the fields they hold dear and go to great length to reach their goals. Rarely competitive or interested in praise180-189-206, they solely aim at improving themselves and the world180-198 around them. They strive to leave their mark onto this world one way or another. They relish serving others, not only by satisfying material necessities, but also, philosophical, and spiritual ones through, generally unsolicited, advice. They try correcting what they believe is wrong with the world. To do so, they detect the root cause198 of what's actually ailing the globe in a philosophical and scientific way (mostly PGs). Dick creates digitally automated processes to help the elderly cope with the modern world. Helen has written a book so as to help the Gifted understand themselves better. Zach and Wilfried strive to help everyone see the big picture in every issue. Ezekiel has authored many philosophical books in the hope of helping humanity. Walter loves to teach people about learning disorders and their consequences.
They embody their creation: The specificity of VHIQs’ creativity rests on their capacity to get immersed in their creation185- 191, to the point of seeing through the eyes of their characters, physically sensing the curvature of their sculpture, or breathing through their music in mystifying ways. When they feel the urge to bring something to life, no one can get in the way of that resolve, not even themselves. Simultaneously, they have no idea how interesting or mundane their creations look to other people who are only able to realize parts of what the artist felt during the creation process. Cameron lives through the eyes of his main character when he writes. Helen embodies her music when she plays piano. Ezekiel gets engrossed in his writing as soon as he gets a new idea. Unusual humor: VHIQs have a unI.Q.ue* sense of humor based on personal reflections, observations, and tiny humorous details nobody else notices. They are fond of incongruous puns, double entendres, and intricate brainy jokes196 so as to surprise or get the listener to think. That humor often serves as a safeguard against uncomfortable social intercourse. Cameron and Sasha notice hilarious matters everywhere, all day long, and make witty jokes about them. Dick and Donald’s quip are always unpredictable and creative. Tony always talks to people in an ironic, tongue-in-cheek kind of way. *Humor Safe Adventurousness in the HG, EG and PG Ranges: VHIQs are as adventurous325 as MGs, even more if you consider intellectual endeavors, but unlike them, commonly avoid scary or dangerous ventures180-190 thanks to acute self-preservation and anxious predispositions. A need for new experiences: These people feel they are wasting their time if they are not improving themselves180 by studying, experiencing, creating, or thinking. Unlike people of lower ranges, who enjoy leisure time tremendously, VHIQs need to be reading an interesting book or to be learning a foreign language, while at the beach for example, in order to keep from being under the impression of wasting their time and to keep from being bored180 . Certain VHIQs even decide to interact with specific persons as an opportunity to learn their language, their culture, or a craft they know. Superficial reasons for dating someone, such as physical appearance, are not very much valued321 even by VHIQ teens; personality, likemindedness, kindness, understanding are more sought after. Much like MGs, VHIQs love new experiences. But unlike MGs, instead of being just pleasurable, these projects must expand their knowledge and further their understanding of the world.
Cameron looks for any new adventure as long as his “overexcitabilities”” don’t stress him out too much. Donald and Wilfried travel the Globe to quench their thirst for knowledge and experience. Wise children: Because of internal conflicts, VHIQs mature in a more asynchronous way but ultimately more deeply210-213 than previous ranges all the while retaining a childlike wonder190 throughout their lives. They feel no shortage of awe when presented with art or the beauty of nature, very often beholding wonders others barely notice. They are childlike even in the way they take in new information. VHIQs never try fitting new information in their worldview, but rather continuously adapt their worldview187-189-190 to added information as kids do335 . Donald, Dick, Helen and Wilfried are frequently in awe of nature, architecture, animals etc. The Emotionally based Memory Imprints of the HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs display exceptionally good memory skills308 over a large spectrum of topics, especially when coupled with strong emotions. Their memory is frequently less detail-oriented than that of MGs190; being more pattern-oriented, they recall whole concepts more easily than specifics. Because they are regularly more anxious than MGs234 , VHIQs' recollection process may be stuck for a while, then suddenly the appropriate memory appears out of nowhere when the person is no longer focused on what he or she was looking for. Donald and Wilfried, who speak many foreign languages, frequently have words on the tip of their tongues; in addition, they sometimes forget specific names or titles for a while. The Different Cultural Approach of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs have hugely different interests, priorities, and preferences299-317-321-324 from Neurotypicals255 and MGs. They show extensive knowledge in many fields191 but not necessarily in mundane matters such as popular culture, which they may even reject. As learning feels like leisure to them, many VHIQs are consequently well versed in highbrow fields315: science very often, psychology, philosophy, foreign languages... They are also quite fond of new frontier subjects: String Theory, Quantum Gravity Loops … Some of them, especially EGs and PGs, to a greater extent, may even be polymaths231 (extremely well-educated across multiple fields). Zach is extremely learned in both literature and world history but knows nothing about the latest blockbusters or famous artists. Ezekiel is extremely well-educated in philosophy, literature, psychology, and ancient history, but refuses to watch TV. Javier does math at the highest level, but he is also a great amateur pianist. Wilfried and Donald are well-read in astrophysics and speak multiple languages.
The Far-reaching Life Goals of HG, EG and PG Rangers [VHIQs]: VHIQs’ goals are not only numerous but also challenging and time consuming. If they were to tell Neurotypicals about those objectives, the latter would think them inaccessible, even insane. Their ambitions are rarely ordinary; they are supposed to expand collective knowledge and to serve a greater purpose. These individuals strive to elevate the world180-333-334 of science, arts, philosophy etc… to improve human, fauna, or flora’s conditions on earth. Cameron wants to share all of the stories he has in mind. Dick wishes to help the elderly. Donald and Kyle are truth seekers. Helen, Walter, Joshua, and Teddy want to help the Gifted. Wilfried feels pushed to revolutionize the world of physics. Ezekiel and Zach want to make their countrymen overcome profound civilizational issues. Javier wants to help the world become more spiritual. If you belong in one of the HG, EG or PG ranges (VHIQ) most of what’s below reflects who you are: (Pay close attention to the wording before answering yes or no, then count the number of times you answered yes) 1-You have a holistic understanding of the world. 2-You notice patterns and links in seemingly unrelated areas. 3-You were able to talk, read or stand much earlier than the average toddler. 4-You make observations that are totally logical but everybody else thinks they are totally irrelevant or idiotic. 5-You have strong intuition as to what is right or wrong as well as true or false. 6-You have at least one condition such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, OCDs, ADHD, sleep disorders, ASD traits. 7-You have, at least, a unique “spiritual” ability (healer, precog, empath, lucid dreamer, psychic...). 8-Your mental and emotional “overexcitabilities” are high: your mind is often in alert mode. 9-Your humor is multifaceted, elaborate, and multilayered. 10-You are slightly depressed with no energy except when doing something interesting. 11-You usually feel lonely in groups and have few close friends. 12-You are an avid reader and/or crave knowledge and understanding. 13-You can sense other people’s energy, feelings and harbor a good idea of who they are deep down. 14-You are easily moved to tears by almost nothing (often related to art, kindness, beauty…). 15-You are emotionally hurt by negativity, ugliness, dishonesty, lack of ethics…. 16-You are self-taught in many high-brow fields: autodidact. 17-You understand a lot of what’s going on under appearances. 18-You keep wondering about deep existential questions and would like to leave your imprint on the world. 19-You are easily bored with everyday life.
20-Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, or some types of medicine have a stronger effect on you than on everybody else. Specifications for The Exceptionally [EG] (IQ: 160 to 174) and Profoundly Gifted [PG] (IQ: Above 175) EGs and PGs are extreme VHIQs with greater intensity in everything234. As, according to statistics, HGs amount to a much greater percentage of VHIQs, I wanted to provide the reader with a few specifics regarding EGs and PGs. First of all, both EGs and PGs do not diverge as much in “g” than in non-“g” skills214, just like you can’t compare the intelligence of Einstein with those of Dostoyevsky or Chopin. As a consequence, my attempt at a broad characterization of EGs and PGs’ personalities is challenging as the individuals, in these ranges, who are often experts in particular fields, drastically differ from each other. Startlingly, many psychologists 215 are in the habit of merging these two levels together and calling everybody “PG”. This is, in my opinion, linked to sheer scarcity of these individuals and because EGs commonly exhibit, at least, one specific skill at, or near PG level215. But this approach ignores certain dissimilarities I will address further down. The Intellectual Idiosyncrasies of EGs and PGs : EGs and PGs grasp complex material intuitively, in a global way198. In everything, they see patterns301-373, interconnections, causes and consequences. They are particularly interested in immutable and holistic patterns194, such as those seen in the universe, in physics, or in mathematics. From that, they can begin to infer new concepts or theories. In that framework, many details are added later190-198 , when specifics are addressed. PGs, particularly, are aware of global theories and quite a lot of details at the same time198-345-346, focusing on both global and local concepts. Compared to HGs, EGs and PGs show more divergent thought processes215 with larger logical step skipping198-215 as well as broader and more numerous intuitive connections198 between areas of interest. They grasp concepts much more deeply198. They use more personal structures187-194-198-215 than HGs; they go beyond their integrated103 thinking process by merging many of their own models198 to create very complex concepts. This invariably leads to very unusual and personal opinions198 . In addition, EGs and PGs show high flexibility of opinions, enough to be willing to change their mind189-194 if a good enough piece of information, from a trusted source, comes to their attention. They are able to simultaneously keep in mind many possible explanations194-198 , for each event or development, in this way amplifying mental plasticity. Contrary to HGs who, on the whole, enjoy leisure time, EGs and PGs feel most fulfilled when learning, discovering, accomplishing or experiencing227 . Free time must always be put to beneficial use for EGs and PGs to feel appeased and complete, otherwise, doubts and depression may set in. A very early onset of reading differentiates MGs/HGs, who generally start at the same age as everybody else, and EGs/PGs who begin deciphering words at an age comprised between 2 and 4-5 years old212 . Besides, EGs and PGs start speaking on average at 8 months old212 .
The Crippling “Overexcitabilities” of EGs and PGs: Being extremely prone to “overexcitabilities” 108-109, quite a few EGs and PGs choose to avoid stress180-198 and pressure at any cost by avoiding high level careers and even, at times, marriage, and children. Such a choice gives them enough free time to satisfy their thirst for knowledge315 , to create, to read, to write, to think, to invent etc.… Such pronounced “overexcitabilities”, which take a toll on the nervous system228 , may actually simulate behaviors associated with certain disorders193 . Consequently, EGs and PGs are more commonly diagnosed with a couple of cognitive disorders such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCDs, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dyslexia193… or exhibit many traits associated with those disorders. When you consider these higher ranges, the likelihood of running into autistic traits is also heightened193. Not that these people are necessarily professionally diagnosed as autistic, but they share many traits with people suffering from what was known as the Asperger syndrome or highfunctioning autism216, namely: extraordinary focus, lack of interest in social conventions, great attention to details etc. EGs and PGs may also exhibit other impairments such as: prosopagnosia221 (trouble remembering faces), or difficulty recalling verbal instructions… Since EGs and PGs feel everything extremely deeply218 in an empathetic way, they generally develop strong unwavering integrity and morals198 (it does not appear necessarily as true of people on the autism spectrum who classically exhibit low emotional intelligence229 , but this condition is complex and misunderstood). At the same time, EG and PG's behavior and speech patterns may appear contrived180 or lacking in authenticity to a keen eye. It stems from their lack of ease in social situations and their need to protect their feelings because of general heightened sensitivity218 . The Challenging Relationships of the EG and PG Rangers: EGs and PGs’ wisdom, empathy and intuition are extremely elevated198. They aim to guide others, using suggestions in the hope of making them question their dubious decisions, often to no avail. When analyzing most people’s behaviors, they unfortunately notice318 resistance to change, social façades, ignorance, overused slivers of knowledge, faulty science, blind gregarious ideology, false hopes, intolerance, inflated egos… Unlike MGs and sometimes HGs, because of their personal viewpoints and a natural loathing of hypocrisy, EGs and PGs don't feel the need to be politically correct198-218 since, to them, the truth matters more than somebody’s ego. This discrepancy between their behavior and those of most people tends to increase their feelings of not belonging204-313 . Most times, they cannot speak their minds or confide in someone else without being mocked or considered odd. As a result, they resort to wearing a social mask374-375 so as to be able to endure some sort of human interaction even if it feels like a lie218 and an artificial method of communication. To circumvent these issues, as children, they often choose to interact with knowledgeable adults218 , with whom they feel on an equal intellectual footing, as well as imaginary friends218 . Besides, during a conversation, certain words may cause several alternate meanings187-198 to come to their minds. As a result, they strive to utter carefully chosen words from their large vocabulary198 and, at the same time, always need extreme precision187-198 to be able to understand
what the other person is saying. This peculiarity intensifies their feelings of not being on the same page with everyone else and often triggers annoyed reactions from the persons they are talking to. Consequently, countless EGs and PGs systematically shun away from social interactions212; they suffer from a lack of understanding, linked to the communication gap81 , but also from high sensitivity to rejection, harsh comments, judgments, lack of ethics etc... Inarguably, a sizable portion of EGs and PGs are loners198, bothered and hurt by many, without the advantages Neurotypicals or MGs get from their interactions: a connection. That feeling of not being able to count on anyone, because of a lack of understanding, along with their strong lucidity210 about the limited potential of their loved ones, further amplify their sensation of incompleteness. In addition, EGs and PGs being exceedingly cerebral, they favor deep reflection before they act, think of consequences, plan the future. They are less influenced by egocentric and narcissistic passions such as money, a beautiful car, a hot fiancée. They definitely are more personal-growth oriented180-191 . Often in need of social isolation to be able to be themselves without being judged, many men in those ranges hardly date198-219-220. At the same time, their highly independent female323 counterparts are likely to avoid having children altogether224 . To many EGs and PGs, sex in itself, appears uninteresting222-223 , as they look for a very cerebral and emotionally authentic connection while mainly concentrating on their intellectual priorities222-223 . They long for deeper bonds with the rest of humanity, relationships devoid of nastiness, selfishness, and greed, but rather, full of honesty, warmth, and respect. In a nutshell, they long for unconditional love in a deep spiritual manner341 . 3.1 EG (IQ:160-174) Teddy, Tony, Ezekiel, Wilfried, Javier. The EG range members show all of the VHIQ tendencies virtually at a maximum234. They resemble Profoundly Gifted individuals in many ways, sometimes to the point of being lumped together into a single category by countless psychologists and researchers335 . Yet, a few dissimilarities exist between these ranges namely as concerns “overexcitabilities” 230 and conceptual stance magnitude239 . The Exceptionally Gifted Rangers are Limited Polymaths: At the EG range threshold (I.Q.160), one starts displaying such intellectual curiosity that one usually no longer specializes in an academic discipline, but rather, endeavors to master several fields of study315. These individuals grow into, what is known as, polymaths231: being wellversed or even able to master several domains that may appear totally disconnected, such as, history and quantum physics for example. On the other hand, these people's tendency to be polymaths is more limited than at PG level215 where knowledge is all-encompassing and deeper. Teddy masters both coding and novel writing. Ezekiel is a history and literature specialist. Wilfried masters several foreign languages and knows his way around astrophysics along with music composition.
EGs spend most of their days learning, pondering, inferring227, their minds are never at rest. Since, if they stop, they get bored and depressed, they devote a great deal of time to accumulating knowledge and experience. However, rote-learning isn’t their strong suit; they’d rather invent new immersive191 strategies to commit everything to memory while engaging all senses in the process. Wilfried has never watched a TV show for the story; he watches them in Spanish, in Italian or German to learn those languages. Sometimes he is even reviewing Japanese lessons while watching TV. Tony thinks about physics during his daily routine or at work. He thinks about fractals when looking at maps or fluids mechanics while watching a river. Ezekiel tries to use the quotes of great thinkers in his daily conversations. He also imagines he lives in the Roman era and pictures the type of life he would have had, and the type of food he would have tasted. EGs are extremely pattern oriented194-198-232, they sense intricate hidden connections between almost everything. They may notice similarities between astronomy and medicine or cattle rearing in a global holistic manner. They sometimes overlook details190-198 that seemed unimportant at the time and get their theories destroyed by members of the MG and HG ranges316 . EGs typically hold many probabilistic189 theories, in their minds, for the same fact and amend them by adding to these concepts301-330 each new piece of knowledge that comes their way. The Rebellious Minds of the Exceptionally Gifted: EGs do not try adjusting to society233-239 as MGs or HGs would. They often rebel against the social order and its ready-made values and habits; on the other hand, they are unable to truly generate new structures239-328 for society as do PGs. Ezekiel writes about humanity's plight in his books and attempts to explain these inexorable processes to the layman. Teddy, Tony and Wilfried resist social constructs by keeping to themselves most of the time. Even if they read people very well194, many EGs, being ill at ease in social settings, shun away from physical and even emotional intimacy204 . Tony has never dated. Ezekiel has only had one person he has ever felt close too. Wilfried is celibate by choice. The Precarious Emotional Balance of the Exceptionally Gifted: “Overexcitabilities” at the EG level are generally intense225-226-230. Such anxiety and sensitivity are a liability in everyday life, preventing the person from being well-adjusted. Emotional disorders are very common193-218 in EGs, typically causing distress and maladapted responses, thus triggering judgement and rejection from peers. Ezekiel is often viewed as an irrational person. Tony hides his OCDs and social anguish.
Wilfried spends an awfully long-time choosing articles in supermarkets, pondering which one is best for his health or which one has better value. What if this one isn't good enough for his cat, what if this can isn't easy enough to open…? There's more empathy for all living things234 at the EG level than at the HG range. EGs may feel awful when compelled to squash an insect or if they ruin a flower. They ordinarily sense other people's energy190-191 and may feel repelled by shady characters or stressed out if something awful happened in the room, they are standing in. They commonly relate to everyone as person to person, regardless of social status, fame, or hierarchy rank. Wilfried feels for his boss and is able to easily walk in his shoes. When he sees celebrities, he relates to their humanity and forgets about their fame. EG members often display bursts of hyperactivity233, regularly eating and sleeping a lot because their brains use a great deal of energy233 . Because their awareness of details is high198, they tend to have a tough time making choices. In addition, they absolutely hate being dishonest218 or conniving even if it's to surprise someone on their birthday. These people also frequently display incredible memory of their life events, down to colors, scents, feelings… Javier can still vividly picture intense images of some of his life events, even mundane ones. If you’re in the EG range, on top of the attributes of the VHIQs in the previous chapter, you are likely to recognize yourself in most of these characteristics: 1-You show several typically autistic behaviors (maybe even also ADHD and OCD traits). 2-You are downright different from everyone you know and have next to no close friends. 3-You are extremely interested in many completely different subjects and show significant competence in them. 4-You are able to hold several possible theories in your mind for the same occurrence or fact. 5-You have already changed entire worldviews because you discovered you had been wrong. 6-You were speaking and reading at a much earlier age than most people. 7-You notice people’s emotional workings, why they run into hurdles and what they should do to avoid those. 8-You have chosen a low stress career. 9-You do not feel the need to be politically correct and dislike telling white lies. 10-You are deeply spiritual (not necessarily religious). 11-You are always actively looking for a way to learn something. 12-Your sensitivity and anxiety occasion great complications in your life. 13-You think a lot before making any choice. 14-You show incredibly detailed memory of certain episodes of your life. 15-You are not that interested in dating or in being physically intimate with another person (unless it’s your one true love). 16-You are bothered by the energy of certain people, and you can sense all living things. 17-The rules of society feel awfully superficial and pointless to you. If you belong to the VHIQ group and if you answered “yes” to at least 11 of those statements, you are likely to be EG. If you belong to the VHIQ group but answered “yes” less than 11 times at the EG level, you are likely an HG.
3.2 PG (IQ: 175+) Kyle, Walter, Joshua, Nathan. PGs are the most intense234, complex and remarkable humans on the planet. Being much more invested in certain fields, because of an I.Q. level extremely elevated in these areas, gives rise to vastly different kinds of individuals, featuring very dissimilar possibilities and strong points239-314-327 , while still possessing the same I.Q. rank. Consequently, no two PG person is alike, especially given the PG range knows no official ceiling. Members of the PG range are quite rare, but not as rare as previously thought. The normal distribution appears to be a faulty approximation of the number of people present at that level; there could actually be many more PGs than statistically expected215 . The Mesmerizing Intellectual Workings of the Profoundly Gifted: The profoundly gifted don’t give the impression of living in our society at all as if they were watching humanity from a safe distance. At times, they seem to be present in parallel worlds due to the power of their imagination and their natural self-projection into the creations they spawn185-191. Their personalities rest on personal values, devoid of social conditioning238 . This is instrumental in creating new social and intellectual frameworks239 . Even more extremely than EGs, PGs' divergent thinking234 enables them to project their thoughts in many directions at once, combining problem-solving stages in one giant step down to the smallest details198 . They relish thinking in analogies 198-235 , expressing complex points intuitively, interconnecting knowledge215-239 between topics or even entire realms of information. They see probability189, logic and abstract patterns187 in everything, thus thinking in likelihoods and potentiality. The most astounding intellectual feat they are capable of is named “Parallel Processing”: holding two thoughts at the same time337-339 . Kyle reports he’s in the habit of having one thought and another evanescent one he’s barely aware of at the same time. PGs require extreme mental stimulation234-235 as well as an inordinate amount of precision187-198 in words, ideas, and concepts because of their tendency to consider all possibilities at once. Failure to use the perfect wording may result in misunderstanding. At the same time, PGs are more likely to be real polymaths with extensive knowledge and ability in a wide array of subjects215-240 while EGs’ erudition frequently remains more centered on certain interests due to enjoying very few skills within PG range 215 (see “Branching out” diagram). Noteworthily, PGs typically speak in grammatically accurate sentences before the age of one188- 212 , whereas the average child doesn’t link words before 2. The Isolation of the Profoundly Gifted: Because of the communication range 81-83 issue, PGs only succeed in communicating fully with very few interlocutors. Assuming they lie at the bottom of the range, they can only be grasped by a population boasting an I.Q. level superior to 145 at the very least. They can feel quite isolated! To add to that forced solitude, because they are so caught up in their intellectual world, many PGs ignore important matters328 happening in their lives or in the world. Kyle, Joshua, and Walter tend to overlook their bodily needs when focused on matters of interest.
Crippling “Overexcitabilities” at the Profoundly Gifted Range: With a level of “overexcitabilities” 108-109-239 and mental processing at the extreme332-340 , the nervous system of PGs gets constantly overwhelmed239-340 by too many stimuli. The consequences are crippling anxiety234 and often some form of synesthesia192-331: seeing numbers, colors, symbols, textures in everything, along with a certain intermixing of the senses. This apparent issue helps PGs grasp ideas more deeply, more intuitively and also boosts their memory 376 . Often liable to additional neurodivergent conditions, PGs frequently exhibit many autistic traits193 and psychological impairments234-236. Even though they are not necessarily medically identified as autistic, depressed, bipolar, borderline, or with ADHD etc.… extremely high “overexcitabilities” tend to mimic193 those conditions. Joshua reports extremely high anxiety with many emotional issues mimicking ADHD. Extreme Empathy at the Profoundly Gifted Range: Problem solving skills and creativity, at the PG level, are helped by intense empathy198 and selfprojection 185-191 into the core of the issue in a more immersive way than at the EG range. PGs become one with their environment or the question at hand to find a solution; it’s virtually akin to an emotional embodiment of all that exists. Walter becomes physically ill when shown a repulsive picture of a situation involving a person or an animal. The Exceedingly Goal-Oriented Existence of the Profoundly Gifted: PGs are extremely goal oriented, being able to work tirelessly, in a flow-state, at a project because of an inner drive197-198 to do so. Often aware of a purpose larger than themselves, they feel connected to seemingly endless energy which propels them towards their goals. Even bed-ridden, with the flu, Nathan, found the drive to compose an entire classical music piece in very little time. Being oblivious to their body limits certain PGs may reach physical or emotional exhaustion377 , thus, triggering serious health issues. If you’re in the PG range, on top of the characteristics of the VHIQs in the previous chapter, and most of those of the EGs, you are likely to: 1-Live as an outsider. 2-Be incredibly gifted in a couple of fields and only really good at others (for bottom PG rangers). 3-Have many psychological and emotional issues, namely extreme anxiety. 4-Be engrossed in your own world. 5-Harbor highly unusual ideas and infrequent concepts. 6-Be in extreme empathy with people, animals, or nature. 7-Hold two thoughts at the same time. 8-Totally project yourself into issues, characters, works of art, science topics, facts etc.…. 9-Be able to work tirelessly on a project that’s important to you. 10-Have some sort of synesthesia. 11-Have very profound ideas of what’s wrong with our society and how to improve it.
12-Be able to understand matters globally and in details at the same time. If you belong to the VHIQ group and answered “yes” to at least 11 of the EG and 8 of the PG statements, you are likely to be PG. This schematic327 represents the specific spread of the different skills, commonly found in people (for ex: abstract, verbal, emotional, visual, logic etc…but also more specific subjects, such as: math, history, geopolitics, languages, storytelling etc…). It pictures how high/low each skill stands in relation to the others, for each range. Horizontally, each range is placed according to its Global IQ level. Vertically, each skill goes as high as the IQ score, a person in this range, would get, were this particular ability assessed on its own. The IQ score of each skill is represented by the tip of the branch237. This shows that skills arrangements are different for each range, people around average having less amplitude, MGs only having a couple of strong abilities, PGs having most of their strength homogeneously within VHIQ range etc…
As you can see, for each range, one of the branches is higher than one of the branches of the next range on the right. This explains why, at times, a person of a lower range can actually show a stronger skill than a person of a higher range even if his or her Global IQ is lower. I have linked the branches for the HG, EG and PG ranges to show the cognitive links these people create between unrelated branches because of their integrated thinking103 style.
CONCLUSION
1.I Hope You Were Able to Recognize Yourself in One of These Groups. Once you've identified which range you belong to, certain questions regarding how being part of this group impacts your life may ensue. Some people will tell you that “I.Q.” is overrated, and you shouldn’t worry about it. In a way, they are right because there’s nothing like arduous work and dedication to reach one’s goals. Furthermore, “I.Q.” resembles money in the way that it doesn’t bring happiness but works as a tool to help you reach your objectives. The higher your I.Q. level, very often the higher your intentions and your goals are. Just like when you have millions in the bank you think about buying a mansion not an efficiency apartment. When your intelligence is extremely high, you frequently feel the urge to have a substantial impact on the world. What knowing your I.Q. level brings, however is self-knowledge. The more you know yourself the better equipped you will be to reach those goals by being able to circumvent some hurdles. So, here is an overview of what the future may hold for you: The most privileged range, in my opinion, is the superior range (I.Q.: 115-129). Here, intelligence is higher than average while the functioning mode is still regular, neurotypical (as opposed to neuro-atypical338). If you are in that range, you are likely to lead a fulfilled normal life, full of professional successes, surrounded by loved ones who understand you and value your input. Lucky you! If you don’t belong to that range do not despair, life can still be rewarding and joyful. If your I.Q. level falls in the inferior range (I.Q.: 70-84), chances are your goals weren’t exceedingly high in the first place123 and you won’t mind being unable to reach for the stars. Do not fall for gains that seem to come your way by chance or too easily for they are probably false hope. Ask for help whenever you need it and cultivate kindness. Many people in that range are naturally protected by their family members, so chances are you will never feel alone, hopefully. If you're a member of the normal range (I.Q.: 85-114), whether it’s the lower or the upper part, then you can undoubtedly attain your goals by dedication, hard work, and patience. Undeniably, some physicians, teachers, engineers are in that upper normal range89-90. Anyway, you will always find your place in the world because it is made for you considering that you amount to 68% of the entire population. You will likely find a spouse easily, have children, have friends, hold a regular job, and lead a nice regular life that will suit you. If you found out you were likely moderately gifted (I.Q.: 130-144), life will be full of surprisingly easy successes and, at the same time, unexplainable failures. You will be more
emotional and intense179 than the average person, thus, reducing your ability to fit in with the regular crowd. At the same time, you will be regarded as very smart in some areas178 , but stubborn, intellectually shallow and immature179 in others. You will either view yourself as very smart or very dumb179 and you won’t understand why you feel different from everybody else. You will readily be tempted to give into laziness179-204 and think you’re always right189. You will be drawn to trust appearances in the realm of smartness and believe that “intellectuals” are always right179 especially if they all seem to think alike. Remember that this is untrue! You will also consider that smart people are always articulate180 and appear logical 373 . Consequently, you will believe that those in the highly gifted range and above are not as smart as you are. Of course, this is untrue as well! However, you are likely to be artistic179 or moved by many forms of art, enough to make it the center of your life. If you just found out you were likely highly, exceptionally, or profoundly gifted (I.Q.: above 145), it might come as a surprise. Chances are, you realized you were different but never really knew why or how. Maybe you even thought you were not very bright because you naturally do not think in a step-by-step fashion and even bypass logical reasoning (for EGs and PGs) which is what most regard as “actual” intelligence 373 . Life will not be easy on you in the relationship area, almost no one will really understand you81 . As a compensation, you can make a difference as an artist, a scientist, a philosopher or whatever strikes your fancy. You will think up entire new theories187 that might end up being false, but you will likely rearrange them and update189 your outlook to precisely understand your universe. Don’t forget to listen to people from lower ranges as they sometimes hold the key to helping you in your weakest fields but never let them push you over or put you down. If you want more precision as to your I.Q. score and make sure you truly “diagnosed” yourself right, read further to the end of this book. I have concocted two psychological evaluations, you can take, to narrow that range down to the equivalent of a single I.Q. figure: The Short Test is accurate within about 10 points (+-5) and the Long Test (over 150 questions), is precise within about 6 points (+-3).
2.How to Communicate with Other Ranges ? Once you are aware of your own I.Q. range, a hurdle appears. How do you handle communication with others ranges? The best way to avoid conversational misunderstandings is by adopting the interlocutor’s main functioning mode. As we have seen, in part I of this book, each range has its favorite approach101-385. If you address a person while employing an incorrect method, he or she might misinterpret what you mean or think you must be dimwitted or conceited. The effective means of interaction and main functioning modes are given below, with, in italic, the thoughts or feelings, a person in that range, frequently harbors about others. For the 70 to 85 range: Labels101-385; group habits are particularly important to these people: He or she is good/bad, cool/uncool, nice/mean… For I.Q. scores ranging from 85 to 114: Emotions and feelings101-385 ; experiencing the sentiment of peers’ acceptation is very important to these people: He or she makes me feel good/ hurts my feelings, builds me up/ puts me down… For I.Q. scores ranging from 115 to 129: Logic101-385 , knowledge and erudition ; being under the impression that they think like smart or cultured people is particularly important to these people: People who don’t follow standard logic/ think differently from most people are dumb. People who don’t know what I know are not cultured/ knowledgeable. The majority is always right/ what I was taught is always true. For scores from 130 to 144: Reasoning101-385 and science217 ; following the idea of what a scientific process should be is very important to these people: His or her reasoning is unscientific. This is unprovable, researching it is a waste of time. This is good/bad science. People who don’t follow a scientific process are incompetent or idiots. What’s also paramount, is never doubting a scientific finding before it has become a trend to do so: Science is always right (until everyone else also thinks it’s wrong). For I.Q. scores above 145: Concepts and theory elaboration317 , patterns101-385 ; noticing patterns everywhere is particularly important to these people: This thing looks at lot like that thing, they could be related. I notice an inconsistency between what I’m being taught and what I can observe at a conceptual level. What if everything, I thought was true, is actually false?
3.What is Intelligence, Exactly? It is how powerfully and efficiently your brain works, but it’s more than that. Intelligence is not simply confined to your brain, but also to everything that makes up who you are. It’s in your emotions, in how your body manages itself, in your inner drive, in your hopes and dreams, in your values etc… In short, intelligence is represented in your whole personal energetic system. It is related to the elusive concept of consciousness336 which is also somehow linked to our evolution378 as a species. 3.1 A Different Level of Consciousness. As I’m willing to go beyond what science knows in this chapter. I would like to expand my reflection about intelligence into “esoteric” realms. Of course, this is merely a theory to be taken with a grain of salt. General intelligence or I.Q., as it is understood in this book, can be separated into several subintelligences pertaining to what I call the “ACES” theory (similar to Kasmah & Rusnali’s work379 I ran into after coming up with this idea). A.C.E.S. stands for Abstract, Communicational, Emotional, and Spiritual intelligences. All of them added together, comprise the different angles intelligence takes to present itself. So, instead of the I.Q. /E.Q. dichotomy, I’d rather think of I.Q. = A+C+E+S. Or, in other words: an I.Q. level is an average of the levels of Abstract, Communicational, Emotional, and Spiritual intelligences put together. We can recall the personality traits involved in intelligence (seen at chapter 4.1) and rearrange them according to these 4 sub-categories in a holistic fashion (the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energetic realms). Abstract intelligence exploits the mental realm and includes: - Global learning strategy: Analytic, Synthetic, Integrated103 . - Need to learn: intellectual “overexcitabilities” 108-109 . - Competence in multiple fields. - Ability to reason and notice patterns.
Communicational intelligence mostly draws on the physical realm and encompasses: - Introversion or extraversion. - Ability to be understood and to connect with other people (verbal and body language). - Ability to lead others towards the greater good. Emotional intelligence handles the emotional realm and embraces: - Independence of opinions and worldviews without relying on existing structures or models. - Emotional intensity: emotional and even physical “overexcitabilities” 108-109 (ADHD, dyslexia, Dysthymia, OCDs etc…). - Introspective abilities. - Empathy and ability to read people. - Resilience. - Creativity. - Passions and dreams. - Need to experience and discover. - Memory (because an imprint lasts according to the emotional intensity involved). Spiritual intelligence manages the spiritual realm and contains: - Need to seek out the truth in all matters. - Intuition. - Ability to envision likely consequences of acts and decisions. - Need for beauty. - Need for morality and honesty. - Need to improve the world. If we are to believe the “ACES” concept, levels of intelligence are an excellent way to appraise levels of consciousness380 . 3.2 Why Did Evolution Create Different Levels of Intelligence? The main purpose behind having dissimilar levels of intelligence, among a given population, is to be able to tackle every type of issue, from the most mundane to the most complex, and to address existential questionings through diverse viewpoints and theories. Profoundly Gifted people are seen, by some328 , as the impending evolution of human intelligence. They are viewed as the harbinger of what, humanity as a whole, might become, should it further its development in the best possible way.
As opposed to far away stars exposing their light as it was in the distant past, the more you gaze towards the right end tail of the I.Q. bell curve the more you observe the distant future. B.J.B.