Is being a "YOUNG GENIUS" an advantage or disadvantage?
By Azaerus
@Azaerus (820)
Philippines
June 21, 2009 10:22am CST
People are very amazed when they see a genius child.Alot of people that the child is very lucky and blessed to have such great knowledge.But is being a young genius an advantage or disadvantage in a childs life?
Recently,I have watched a documentary of a womans life whom is considered a genius when she was very very young.She said that all she could remember in her entire childhood was studying and studying and studying.Her parents were both doctors,very respected personalities here in my country.She narrated that at the age of 2 she started going to school,she never experienced the joy of being a child,the happiness that playing with other kids could bring.Between the ages 5-7 her knowledge grew wider and wider,she already knew almost everyhting about college math,history and science.She was considered one of the most gifted child of her time.She said that during vacation here in our country,her parents would take her and her brother in other country to study other subjects,even her vacation was a time for study.People expected alot from her,at the age of 12 she was on her way to college,she said that her goal is to be the youngest doctor here in our country.Years passed and people lost track of her,until the said documentary of her life.It turns out she had her rebellion and dropped out of college.She told her parents that she wanted to experience childhood even if it's too late and that she wanted to do the real stuff she loves which is "Photography".Today she is working as a photographer in her own studio.
With tht story,do you still think that being a genius is really great?
4 people like this
15 responses
@amitavroy (4819)
• India
21 Jun 09
one thing which i think you will agree is that genius are a bit different in nature when you compare them to common people. they behave in a very different way as they have a very different way to look at the world.
i have seen one guy who was very close friend of mine. he was very sharp. he could understand even the toughest of the sums in maths by only reading for the first time and do that so easily. he performed well in all exams, but he always wanted to be a writer. he was forced to give the IIT exams. he got selected. but then he left the college after a year. and now he is writting books.
i was amazed to see someone with such talent not ready to jump into the best instituion and make a nice career. now he was like this form his very childhood, but then it was his advantage. and he used it for his own use. so it is very difficult for us to decide. but yes being a genius is an advatnage
@lodyllesovo (321)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
I strongly agree with this one. Being a genius is an advantage because genius people will have more freedom to conquer the world than the common people who are just satisfied with their day to day living. Geniuses on the other hand will explore the impossibles and try to create something out of nothing. That is why i admire them so much. Oh, and that includes Hitler who is a genius of deceiving an entire nation.
@emandi (102)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
I think that geniuses are admired and evied because of their potential. Ultimately, however, being a genius is not easy. In order to hone such extraordinary power, the child must often grow up in circumstances that help the genius in the child, not necessarily the child itself. I'm thankful that in recent years this kindof set-up has been modified to give genius kids as much of a normal life as regular children while still being able to hone their extraordinary capabilities. Unfortunately cost is a barrier here, and often only child geniuses born into wealthy families can afford such educational programs.
1 person likes this
@lodyllesovo (321)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
I strongly agree. Especially with the times right now, education really went to the roof. But luckily though, here in my country, education is ALWAYS the priority that is why it doesn't matter if the parents can't afford to send their children to school, they will always find a way to send them to school because it is simply the only thing that they can left to their children when they die... EDUCATION. And, their child doesn't even have to be a genius at that.
@saffrondreams (596)
• Canada
21 Jun 09
Being a child genius is tough I think. Because they have so much potential, the people around them expect so much out of them that they're probably forced to study all the time. And many of them subsequently suffer burn-out when they're in their 20s.
Speaking of child geniuses, I remember reading about this math prodigy who went to Oxford at the age of 12, only to become a stripper later on.
@tundeemma (894)
• South Africa
22 Jun 09
there is nothing wrong with being a young genius it has however its advantages and disadvantages, the advantage there is is the fact that a young genius will be far ahead of others especially in his class and outside the classroom, he is brilliant and everyone wants to be his friend, the disadvantage is that life can get faster than normal as he will become left out among his pairs
@whizkid08 (715)
• India
21 Jun 09
That is astounding!! Such a genius child drops out of college.
What I would say, being a Young Genius is definitely an advantage till you don't exceed the limits and be normal like other people.
Like this child, she liked being isolated, studying as she found "playing" boring!!
She didn't do anything except for being a bookworm sticking to subjects all the time!!
For being a "Genius" one requires an All round personality and that comes up when you have knowledge of not only academic subjects but subjects of life.
1 person likes this
@lodyllesovo (321)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
But then again, you don't need a degree if you really are a genius. You can always do ANYTHING and GOOD at doing it. So making money won't be an issue. But if you live in a society where education is a priority, then I guess that you really need to finish college then, just like here in the Philippines.
@Jakywoo (102)
• China
22 Jun 09
In my opinion,I still think being a young genius is an advantage.We can see that in the modern world,so many scientists are searching to give an answer of brain power because we all know that the smart you are,the more accomplishments you can get.Yes.I must admit that there are some young genius lead into a bad ending.But why?We have the ability to get the reason.It's not the young genius him or herself.It always caused by there parents or other adults.How a child can do to change his fate?No.He can't.If we talk more about it,we can get an another answer.But no matter what the answer it is,it can's prove that a young genius is a disadvantage.That's only my idea.You can hold yours.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Being a genius is great and the parents should promote educational activities but they should have also allowed the child to be a child. The problem here was in the parents not in the fact the child was a genius.
My nephew was in 6th grade last year, when he was invited to partake in college classes in mathematic. He is a smart young man, he was reading Harry Potter books before he went to 1st grade. He is a talented writer.
Well back to the story, my sister talked with him and he said he did not want to go, he hated math and liked English and writing better. He is not in AP classes, taking High school English and Math and doing well. He is being challenged but still enjoys being a kid and doing kid things.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
22 Jun 09
I think being a child genius has a lot of disadvantages though they can be the darling of the media but deep inside them they are fighting for their real self. I know child genius is a rare case. There was one case in my country where a boy aged 3 was able to read newspaper from cover to back and became an instant star when he was put on a special tv show. His stardom as a child genius did not make him a successful young man. He ended up in a roller-coaster life and makes a living selling chicken. Another popular case is of a young girl who is a genius in mathematics. Her mother is a Malaysian while her father is a Pakistani doctor living in Britain. She was so good in mathematics that she was able to enter university at the age of 10. While in college she ran away and her parents were unable to trace her where-about. It took them few years to finally find here working in a pub.
@Mikaela_taz25 (1842)
• Philippines
22 Jun 09
It's nice to be smart at a young age. but knowledge also comes with wisdom and responsibility and maturity. with out any of those, the person could turn out bad evil genius or 
be another slacker like any one elses, just to fit in the society. there should be proper training and guidance for those gifted people.
@mobhomeir (7558)
• Philippines
22 Jun 09
That was horrible! I never thought it would go on that way for those gifted children. No. If that would be the reward of my child being so genius I rather not to let my child force to study even on her/his vacation. For me, I will never force my child do whatever I would like but rather of his/her own. Maybe I would just give a 100% support..Thanks a nice information..
@dozhou (326)
• United States
22 Jun 09
Young genius may attract more attention than normal, but generally they are not very helpful. Since their outstanding ability, they are isolated from other teenagers. They are forced to face adult world early than expected. Some guys from this group have mental problems. God is equal to everyone, if he gives you more than normal in one side, he will definitely take away from you on the other.
@jellymonty (2352)
•
21 Jun 09
I think being a gifted child really is a disadvantage. Most of these so called gifted kids really live in bondage and do not experience the joy of being a child. I applaud this woman for abandoning her giftedness and pursuing what she really loves. I think its not fair to bombard a child with too much knowledge. The reason they are a child is so the enjoy the simpleness of being a child and let the knowledge like that be left for adulthood.
@lodyllesovo (321)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
Being a "young genius" is an advantage only if the genius child uses it wisely. But then again, being a genius doesn't really mean that you just have to burn your eyebrows in books. There are still a lot of interesting things out there like making movies, photography, nature and peace advocate, and a lot of stuffs that really touches people. The child should also learn all the NORMAL kids are doing like playing and stuffs so that when the child grows, the child can contribute to be a better person in the society.
@divkris (1156)
• India
22 Jun 09
A young genius is always looked upon because they have talens and brains of an older person. It is reallly good to be born like this.
However, you have internal and external pressures from your family, friends, peers and of course the society that overburdens the skilled person. It is always good to do that you are comfortable with and the one that you are interested/passionate about.
Now-a-days every parent wants their child to be a genius and stuff their childrens' holiday with lots of activities that the kids might not be interested in! So it is good to be born genius but what matters is where you are born :)
@chikadee21ph (438)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
Being genius is a gift and something that one should be thankful of. And for me, it is an advantage. What makes it disadvantage on the side of the child is depends on how the parents treated it.
As for your example, it became disadvantage on the child's life. Her parents became to focused on improving her being genius already. They forgot the fact that we all want to experience childhood and not just study all the time. We all need fun and laughter, something that the kid on your example missed.
If only the child's parents did not act the way they did. ANd just support the child and did not forced her, I believe life for her could have been better.
