Comments on: Gifted creative or gifted conformist?

By: Meredith

Meredith — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:19:04 +0000

I find it very difficult to see why the gifted conformist would be considered ” not bad”. How is it not bad to be a hypocrite, supporting things you believe are wrong? How is it not bad to make excuses for one’s own lack of integrity? How is it not bad to sacrifice one’s integrity in order to gain wealth and power?
So sometimes they have the guts to support something that they really believe in, once they have gone along with a system with all its injustices and milked it for all it’s worth. Too little, too late, if you ask me. I do not believe that giftedness is just high IQ alone- I believe it also involves empathy and a strong dedication to the truth, social justice, and integrity. I do not think that these “gifted but buttoned up” people are gifted. They just have high IQs.

By: Donna

Donna — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:24:49 +0000

It’s been my experience that freedom is available but you have to watch for your chances. There’s a self part that calculates how much creativity I can “get away with” in any given situation. It requires incessant reading of people and cultures, lots and lots of observation, but over time I’ve acquired enough information to find the “slack” in many a tight spot.
Sometimes the only freedom is in my thoughts and perceptions, but that can be enough. There are friends across centuries and continents who’ve left artifacts.
At least that’s what I think when I’m calm. When I’m in distress, I feel wild impatience, rage, despair, grief.
“It’s all part of life’s rich pageant.”

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:52:51 +0000

I was lucky in school – I was educated by nuns who “beat” obedience into you – there was no such thing as the class clown or creativity – it was work and more work and more work – you learned the lessons no matter what, were quiet in class and never, ever asked questions. If a child dared ask a question, the isolationi and hostility began. So asking questions to avoid the pain of corporal punishment was simply not done. Lots and lots of activities allowed creative outlets outside of school.

In university, conformity to the prof’s ideologies was it – being creative, going outside the “papers” world got you a C at best and an F if you happen to quote findings of professionals actually doing the job, not just researching. So to get an A I was told by another student meant proving the prof’s notions – I found it stifling but I wanted my degree.

As an adult, invitations for input resulted in isolation and hostility – either from the boss or from peers – so creativity was not welcomed there either. Conformity and, as in university, adopting the boss’s point of view – and never, ever diverting from that position. Each and every piece of input had to “fit the boss’s notions” – creativity – outside the box thinking – and change were no nos.

Eventually, the inner self rebels – the world comes down on you like a ton of bricks – the world does see you as “obnoxious” because you are not towing the line! And though some souls empathize and would like to go for the ride with you, they have families to think about and keeping the job and the pension is everything. Isolation results.

In the end, you are almost alone – just one or two people stick it out with you because very few people treasure the gifts you have – and depression and despair – being lost – is the result.

For such a great “gift”, the price is high!