An Interview with Justin Duplantis on Gifted Education Research, Myths About the Gifted, Positivity About Academia, and Deep Feeling (Part Two)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2020/05/01
Abstract
Justin Duplantis is a Member of the Triple Nine Society and the current Editor of its journal entitled Vidya. He discusses: research question for the doctorate in gifted education; myths about the gifted; wife lifting him up; late-blooming; a renewed sense of the academic system; entitlement in some individuals in the gifted community; the end goal of the executive committee; the speculative extent of the research on the gifted likely to enter into juvenile and adult facilities; and emotional sensitivity among the gifted.
Keywords: Executive Committee, gifted education, Justin Duplantis, Triple Nine Society, Vidya.
An Interview with Justin Duplantis on Gifted Education Research, Myths About the Gifted, Positivity About Academia, and Deep Feeling: Editor, Vidya (Part Two)[1],[2]*
*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citation style listing after the interview.*
1. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What will be the main research question for the doctorate in gifted education?
Justin Duplantis: Does the lack of resources in underprivileged areas lead to an increase in incarceration among the gifted population?
2. Jacobsen: What are the myths, positive and negative, about the gifted? What truths dispel those myths? Also, why is intelligence merely one trait among many, important but one among numerous others?
Duplantis: The most common myth is that giftedness is a physical trait. By looking at someone, you are able to tell their intelligence. They are nerdy and not athletic. I, for instance, am a national champion martial artist, high-level ice hockey goalie, and am sponsored by McDermott, a pool cue manufacturer. Although the highly gifted have many traits in common, other than IQ (i.e., emotional sensitivity, heightened sexuality, etc.), they are all different people with a variety of interests, goals, and characteristics, just as the rest of the bell curve.
3. Jacobsen: How does your wife lift you up, keep you improving yourself within the context of life and the vows made to one another?
Duplantis: My wife, April, and I are incredibly different. The activities, music, etc, that we enjoy are dissimilar. Although she has never been formally tested, I would imagine she would be approximately 1SD, to my nearly 6SD. Most individuals marry within 15 IQ points. This is obviously not the case for us. Her sense of inquiry is what attracts me to her. She wants to learn. If I use a word she does not know, she asks. I love her genuine interest. Additionally, April has an astronomically high EI (Emotional Intelligence). I have social integration issues and she never meets a stranger. I don’t think it is always about similarities that make a strong relationship, rather the ability to complement each other and try and understand the other’s viewpoint. Of course, it is difficult because of the differences, but it is also much more rewarding. April is able to provide such a divergent view on things, from me. It was frustrating at first, as I felt like we didn’t understand each other. I now see it as a huge advantage. I have the ability to see into the mind of the layman. When I have to present something to a diverse audience, she is able to give me the general public’s perspective. She has helped me grow emotionally, spiritually, and professionally.
4. Jacobsen: Is late-blooming or later discovery of giftedness more common or less common than its opposite?
Duplantis: I am unable to comment in totality, but from the individuals I have spoken with in TNS, it does seem that a fair amount discovered their giftedness, or at least the extent of it, later in life.
5. Jacobsen: What is this new view on the academic system? How can individuals, even with profound giftedness, become bitter, hostile, and resentful towards the university system as a whole? Why is this more destructive, chaotic, and counterproductive than the alternative?
Duplantis: Part of my issue was giftedness and part was due to being a millennial. Our generation differs greatly from others in that a vast majority do not know what career they want to pursue early on, as the older generations did. We are raised thinking we can be whatever we want, not just what our parents were or want us to be. This has its drawbacks. Too many options are not always a good thing. I flipped between multiple ideas on professions, but never really settled on one. My zest for academia has only come, as of recent. This is due to a purpose. With a defined purpose, I have interest and excitement.
6. Jacobsen: What seems like the source among some in the gifted and talented formal communities feeling entitled to certain things in life? This is not a norm, but a phenomenon, and should be tackled head-on here, I feel.
Duplantis: Although I do believe these individuals are few and far between as well, this is actually a relatively simple answer. When you are of average intelligence, you are raised to believe you can be anything you want to be through hard work and dedication. When you are known to be gifted, you are told you are “smart” and will be a doctor, attorney, etc. There is no stipulation assigned to these professions. You are simply told that is what you will be, due to your intelligence. No work necessary. This harbours entitlement.
7. Jacobsen: What is the end goal of the Executive Committee?
Duplantis: My goal is and always has been to pave the way for my three and four-year-old boys. I want them to be able to lol at what their “Papa” created and be proud. They are both members of Mensa and will, hopefully, some day be TNS members as well.
8. Jacobsen: What is the known research, the facts and pathways and symptomatology, of the gifted who are likely to enter into and are in juvenile and adult facilities?
Duplantis: There has not been a significant amount of research done, thus far. It has been more of speculation. Since I am fresh into my program, I have only communicated with some local facilities, but have yet to begin the research process.
9. Jacobsen: Why are deep emotions concomitant with deep intellectual life? Why is a balance in these domains important for a fulfilling, rich, and meaningful life for the gifted and talented? Any advice for men on the emotional level, as I am referencing known stereotypes and images of men in our societies?
Duplantis: This is a tough one. Truly. One of the most difficult things I deal with is emotional sensitivity and high moral conviction. These are known traits of the highly gifted. I have struggled with these my entire life and especially in relationships. My wife’s enjoyment of recreational marijuana has always been a topic of contention between us. What I have learned over these nearly six years is what truly matters. When I feel myself becoming anxious about something, that I am usually aware of being quite ridiculous, I ask myself if it will matter in five years. When I realize that it probably will not in five hours, I take a step back and try to resolve the issue internally, prior to it being shown externally. I have come a long way, but have longer to go. Personal development is not a destination, rather a journey.
Appendix I: Footnotes
[1] Editor, Vidya, Triple Nine Society; Member, Executive Committee, Triple Nine Society.
[2] Individual Publication Date: May 1, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/duplantis-two; Full Issue Publication Date: September 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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