Types of gifted children
This is just a little commentary of an observation that I had.
There seems to be 2 common types of gifted children. The Sheldon type from big bang theory/ young sheldon and the Holden type from catcher in the rye.
The Sheldon types are the more daydreaming and creative type, the Holden types are more the more cynical and independent types. Both are smart for their age (maybe Holden isnt a genius level but hes still smart) and seem to know it.
To give a better idea and description of these types, ill start with the Holden types. These are the types that think they are 10 years older than they are, their intellect putting them on the same level as their older cousins and upperclassmen. They feel that their intellect (reinforced by their praise of it) allows them to have more adult conversations than their peers, they feel they are additionally more romantically mature, and as a result of these things their peers are insufficient for their social and intellectual needs. You see them as the snarky, sarcastic, closed off, self confident lone wolfs.
The young sheldon types are those who, once putting together a lego set without instructions, are challenged by their parents to disassemble and reassemble a microwave. They choose the most niche hobbies, dress in a bowtie "to match their eccentric and distinguished mind", and collect obscure facts to redistribute. Their excellence gives them self inflicted OCD, theyre a perfectionist overachiever, and carry great pride in their eccentricity. They feel their intellect makes them a sort of an authority figure and perfect specimen, giving them a strong drive for success and excellence at some expense toward other aspects of life.
These are the more negative aspects, but I think they outline recognizable types. But there is one important point of difference between these examples.
Because I feel like the point of the catcher in the rye is to warn the reader how pathetic and ridiculous continuing with this mindset can be. Because as adults reject their company and refuse to treat them as peers (because at the end of the day they are still just kids), they may begin to feel that they are smarter than even some adults. And so to find an equal is rare and not worth the effort. So they become bitter isolationist "burdened" by the curse of their knowledge. Eventually, a dark path they can continue down is to incel edgelord territory. Those ones who due to their frustration of not being able to socialize due to their huge intellect, carry rainbow iridescent knives and wear trench coats. They see themselves as sort of tragic tortured figure, slaves to their edge.
The sheldon types usually do not lean to the edgy side, but more toward strangeness. As they lean into their eccentricity and alienation (thinking thats the course for all Einsteins), they push others away. They do not back down from the superiority and authority of their intelligence. And they just accept they are weird (theyre really just smug and snarky and as a result unpleasant). So they may start to spend more time online in niche communities to get some socialization. But as birds of a feather flock together, the collected ego and eccentricity create strong echo chambers. Their associated undesirable outcome is when they may echo chamber themselves into quirk chungus people, furries, or extreme deviants. They are the only ones who get the style they adopted, are blind to its bizarreness, and can be very socially inept. Sometimes clashing severely when meeting a more typical person whose inability to readily understand them causes tension.
And on the other hand the big bang theory doesnt really warn against the dangers of the gifted child mentality they portray. Sheldon isnt prefect, but his flaws are not explicitly conveyed as problematic when they should be. Like the lack of empathy or humility that are honestly needed for all relationships. At least it seems like more of a joke than a real problem that should be tackled. Again, I dont know, I havent really watched the show. Ive only seen clips. Or maybe I have some weird hatred of Sheldon as evident in my making of another post about my negative view of him.
Now, just like yin and yang, this is not a binary black or white. A splash of one may exist in the other, they arent exclusive. And I mostly talk about their dysfunctional occurrences, and evidently their creation can be the result of similar causes. Its also not true all gifted children are tied to these outcomes, nor does it always progress to the points I describe. But I think they are real undesirable outcomes that may occur if kids are left to themselves. Especially if signs of not fitting in occur and parents just chalk it up to their genius eccentricity. Which in their heads isnt a problem because the genius outweighs it all.
I just want to point out that there are 2 main types of gifted kid, and they can turn out strange if they arent carefully cared for. The end.