An Interview with Justin Duplantis on Family Background, Editorial Position for Vidya, and the Triple Nine Society (Part One)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2020/04/22
Abstract
Justin Duplantis is a Member of the Triple Nine Society and the current Editor of its journal entitled Vidya. He discusses: family background; larger self; influences prescient to formation; influential guardians, mentors, or adults; authors and books of significance in youth; pivotal educational moments; editor position at Vidya; provisions of the Triple Nine Society; and the main area of writing and intellectual interest.
Keywords: background, editing, editor, Executive Committee, Justin Duplantis, Triple Nine Society, Vidya, writing.
An Interview with Justin Duplantis on Family Background, Editorial Position for Vidya, and the Triple Nine Society: Editor, Vidya (Part One)[1],[2]*
*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citation style listing after the interview.*
1. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What is family background or lineage, e.g., surname(s) etymology (etymologies), geography, culture, language, religion/non-religion, political suasion, social outlook, scientific training, and the like?
Justin Duplantis: I was born and raised in Cajun country, south Louisiana, into a stereotypical Catholic family. My great-great-grandmother, Hildred Scales, lived until 98 and primarily spoke Cajun French, growing up. Like every good southern family, they are politically conservative. Professionally, the men gravitated toward engineering and the women toward the medical fields. I, the black sheep, am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Gifted Education.
2. Jacobsen: With all these facets of the larger self, how did these become the familial ecosystem to form identity and a sense of a self extended through time?
Duplantis: Interestingly enough, I always marched to the beat of my own drum. I never really fit in socially or within my family. Although, I am sure my family shaped me. It seems as though the majority of their intended influences went unnoticed. The only significant one would be that of traditional southern values and customs (i.e., opening car doors for ladies, pulling out their chairs, no elbows on the dinner table, etc.).
3. Jacobsen: Of those aforementioned influences, what ones seem the most prescient for early formation?
Duplantis: The traditional manners that I was taught certainly impacted my dating life. I always seemed to be attracted to women of various cultures. In fact, my first, of two wives, is South American. The cultural differences were evident quite early. What I considered polite was not always, my insults to her traditional upbringing were unintentional.
4. Jacobsen: What adults, mentors, or guardians became, in hindsight, the most influential on you?
Duplantis: Being an only child of two young parents, they were often my friends first. My father and I were bonded. He was athletic in his youth and always wanted me to be just as enthusiastic about soccer and basketball. He was disappointed when that was far from the case. When I took up martial arts and hockey, he was thrilled and followed suit. He was the most influential person in my youth.
I have had a few mentors throughout my professional life, in both work and leisure activities. The one that has impacted me the most has been my wife. She has enabled me to become a better person, as we could not be any further from similar. I have learned to let things go and not take things too seriously. My overbearing and anal personality is a bit much at times. She has to lead me to be a “diet version” of myself. I have not lost my self-identity, but have learned to tone down the extremities of it.
5. Jacobsen: As a young reader, in childhood and adolescence, what authors and books were significant, meaningful, to worldview formation?
Duplantis: In this way, I was certainly far from the stereotypical gifted youth. In fact, I was not aware of my giftedness until I was an adult. Assigned reading in school left me disinterested in books and TV was where I spent the majority of my time. It was not until the latter part of high school, that I found reading enjoyable. I found books on quantum physics and mechanics fascinating and read all that I could locate.
6. Jacobsen: What were pivotal educational – as in, in school or autodidacticism – moments from childhood to young adulthood?
Duplantis: Through secondary school, I found things simple and unchallenging. I was disinterested and completed with decent grades. It was a rude awakening entering into the university setting. The effort was not suggested, rather required. I was ill-prepared and had a rough start. I didn’t enjoy the experience. It left me tainted and not wanting to proceed with higher education. This was amplified by the fact that I was unsure what I wanted to be “when I grew up.” A decade afterwards, I have a new view on the educational system and the journey has been much more enjoyable and fulfilling.
7. Jacobsen: As the Editor of Vidya, what tasks and responsibilities come with the position?
Duplantis: Serving as a member of the Executive Committee, I am responsible for voting on proposed initiatives, etc. The role of the Editor consists of putting together Vidya on a bimonthly basis. I write an editorial and respond to any “Letters to the Editor.” I thoroughly enjoy the role and have been doing it for nearly three years.
8. Jacobsen: What does the Triple Nine Society provide for you?
Duplantis: A sense of belonging. I always felt different, but never knew why. I had little, to no, experience with other gifted individuals. As stated before, I was unaware of my own giftedness until adulthood. After joining TNS and meeting other members, I realized there were many similarities. Attending the global gathering in 2018 was life-changing. One of the speakers presented characteristics of the gifted and as she proceeded, I checked off each box. I instantly realized I was among my cohort, for the first time.
9. Jacobsen: What are the main area of writing and intellectual interest now?
Duplantis: Currently, I am most interested in the prevalence of incarceration among the gifted. I am hopeful that in the coming years I will be able to conduct firsthand research at both juvenile and adult facilities. The goal is to provide resources to underprivileged gifted youth, that will diminish this, in the future.
Appendix I: Footnotes
[1] Editor, Vidya, Triple Nine Society; Member, Executive Committee, Triple Nine Society.
[2] Individual Publication Date: April 22, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/duplantis-one; Full Issue Publication Date: May 1, 2020: https://in-sightjournal.com/insight-issues/.
*High range testing (HRT) should be taken with honest skepticism grounded in the limited empirical development of the field at present, even in spite of honest and sincere efforts. If a higher general intelligence score, then the greater the variability in, and margin of error in, the general intelligence scores because of the greater rarity in the population.
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