Ask Two Geniuses: Conversation with Christian Sorensen and Justin Duplantis on High-IQ Children, Being Parents, High-IQ Societies, General Intelligence Testing, and Community (Part One)

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2020/07/22

Abstract

Rick Rosner and I conduct a conversational series entitled Ask A Genius on a variety of subjects through In-Sight Publishing on the personal and professional website for Rick. This series with Christian and Justin builds on this idea. Justin Duplantis is going for his doctorate in gifted education. Christian Sorensen is an expert in philosophy. 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. This amounts to a joint interview or conversation with Christian Sorensen, Justin Duplantis, and myself.

Keywords: children, Christian Sorensen, high-IQ, IQ, Justin Duplantis, parenting.

Ask Two Geniuses: Conversation with Christian Sorensen and Justin Duplantis on High-IQ Children, Being Parents, High-IQ Societies, General Intelligence Testing, and Community (Part One)[1]^,[2]*

*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citation style listing after the interview.*

1. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Justin, we’ve been doing a series about yourself, as a member of a solid high-IQ society with highly stringent, mainstream standards with a reasonably high cut-off to be a serious contender in bringing in people with a qualitative difference in thought rather than simply more clear and reasoned thought alone at 1-sigma or 2-sigma above the norm. Christian, we’ve been covering everything under the sun and, in fact, probably breaking some new ground in discussions on the wide range of topics if I may be permitted to say so. The goal in this educational series is to cover high-IQ societies in their communal standing and then the aspects of high-IQ children. Let’s start on a personal note, you’re both parents. How have you dealt with the parenting parts of life for yourselves insofar as you’ve experienced them?

Christian Sorensen: Being self-conscious at all times, so as not to repeat the mistakes that my parents made with me, although paradoxically they did not do so with my siblings. There is a phrase, that my mother had said to me in my young adulthood, remembering my childhood, and that puzzles me, because I couldn’t figure out that this may have happened to her. When I was child, she often felt fear, due to my excessive intelligence, and regarding to which she also perceived herself paralyzed as mother, since actually did not knew how to respond or treat me. Carried out to a more generalized plan, I consciously have tried, that this feeling would never invade my parental function. I thought that was the first step from which I had to start as father, even though I was aware that no one is born knowing how a good father should be. Therefore, I was always guided by my intuition, common sense, and following the conviction, that I was doing what seemed to me the most correct and beneficial for my daughters, in the sense of trying to make them happy. I believe, that at all times, I applied a sort of double formula, that was to give them all the affection I could, and to try to think and feel at the same time, as a father and as if I were a mother or as if I had to put myself in her place.

Justin Duplantis: I grew up unaware of my own giftedness. I was not tested in my youth and only following undergraduate school was I tested and subsequently discovered I was nearly 6 sigma from the norm. Upon attending the 2018 international gathering of the Triple Nine Society, I spoke with an individual that was involved in gifted youth. She was adamant that my boys were gifted, although she had never met them. I had my, then two and three year old, boys tested. They were both deemed gifted and joined Mensa. I want to provide them the opportunity to engage with their peers, as I was unable to experience that growing up. Additionally, they are thirsty for knowledge, so my wife and I try to quench that thirst daily.

2. Jacobsen: Given the established high heritability of general intelligence (as it is an established psychological construct), and as you both measured highly on tests of general intelligence, the obvious implication comes in the form of children more probable to inherit giftedness from you. Of course, we have a regression to the mean effects on both sides of the Gaussian normal distribution or bell curve. Without going into the psychometry of IQ and giftedness, what are some thoughts and feelings around parenting, and acknowledging the higher likelihood of gifted children of a gifted parent in the union? 

Sorensen: This is something that has never been a topic for me, since I have the idea, although it should be empirically verified, that the intelligence comes from the mother, or that it is inherited almost completely from her. In fact at least concerning my case, this hypothesis was fulfilled, since the mother (my ex-wife) of my daughters, unlike my current wife who has an IQ above 130, has a normal-average intelligence, and I guess that for this reason my daughters aren’t gifted.

Duplantis: As referenced previously, this information was presented to myself and shared by a gifted youth expert in 2018. The unknown factor for myself is how the distribution is changed when only one parent is highly gifted. My wife and I are far from peers, in that respect. Although she has never been officially tested, she would probably fall in the average range. Genetics are much more complicated than checking a box if both parents check the same one. I feel strongly that parents know their children, regardless of intelligence level. If the parent feels as though their child is exceptional, they should follow through with that instinct and have them tested. With that said, IQ is not normalized until the child is 7-11 years of age, so if tested prior, the results should be taken with a grain of salt. Additionally, many youth examinations do not accurately measure IQ past a certain sigma, but it will at least give you a rough idea where they stand. My boys, for instance, were three sigma above the norm, when tested at two and three years of age. If it seems purposeful, I will have them tested again after they turn 12.

3. Jacobsen: Did you notice gifted children (your own) require more differentiated and more intense forms of caretaking, or not? In that, the gifted children have been developing more on their own and, therefore, do not require as much concern, care, or general oversight. I am asking more from personal parental experience.

Sorensen: I think that gifted children, need more care and much more personalized attention than other children, since in my opinion these in a certain way, have transversal difficulties with their stability and emotional development, and therefore in some manner it could be said, that they have a disability in this sphere. For this reason, what they first need, is a lot of affection and understanding from their parents, in order that their empathy, leads to feel them close enough. In consequence can be stated, that emotional unconditionality, is one of the main issues, that revolves around concerns of gifted children lives. As a result of the latest, in my opinion, is necessary to keep in mind that happiness, depends on emotional stability, and that the aforementioned is linked to paternal unconditionality, which in turn is the essential basic confidence floor for everything else.

Duplantis: This, I believe, is more child dependent. Although gifted children all share this one characteristic and certainly share certain attributes, they are also individuals that require different needs. For instance, although both of my boys are highly gifted, they are delayed in speech and have required therapy. Delay in certain areas does not necessarily correlate with intelligence, and vice versa. Just because a child learns to speak or walk at an early age does not necessarily mean that child is highly gifted. As for the special challenges that my wife and I face due to our boys being gifted, there are a couple that we express to a nanny, prior to hiring. Our boys want to learn and are incredibly inquisitive. They want to know the proper name for a primate and not be told “it’s a monkey”. They have also, unfortunately, mastered manipulation and sarcasm at a very young age. This can be challenging, as it can be undetectable to the layman. Once one learns to read through the cute to see the underlying deception, they are easier to interact with and bond.

4. Jacobsen: On the level of general discussion and knowledge in the high-IQ community, how is giftedness in children viewed on the level of specialized needs or not?

Sorensen: I think that once the emotional base is stably achieved, two other needs must be constantly met regarding knowledge, and precocity. The former refers to the fact, that their eagerness to inquire and to know, must be answered through quality contents, that should be timely accessible according to their demands. While the second, it’s related to the issue that these children, must be allowed to move freely, and to advance in relation to their own needs, towards what they feel and desire, and not in function to their chronological ages.

Duplantis: It depends upon where you reside. Although not highly advertised, Louisiana is the only state in the nation that categorizes giftedness as a special need. If a child is determined to be gifted they are required to be provided special resources by someone that is licensed in gifted education. If there is nobody that fits that criteria at their school, they are sent somewhere for that specific enrichment. My hopes is to eventually become a lobbyist and have a similar policy in place nationally.

5. Jacobsen: Do you think young boys and girls should enroll in Mensa International, the Triple Nine Society, etc., in order to find some like-gifted community?

Sorensen: Why not.

Duplantis: Although both of my boys qualify to be in TNS, it is an adult only social club. To my knowledge, Mensa is the only high IQ organization that actually have a youth division. As stated previously, both of my boys are members. As for do I think gifted youth should enroll? It depends. I had them admitted in hopes that they would have an opportunity to meet their peers. The area in which someone resides makes a difference. There were no other members, their age, while we lived in the New Orleans area, but after relocation to Dallas, there are over a dozen. I also found it a nice gesture to have them admitted and when they get older they do not have to worry about going through that process. They are already members. Whether they choose to continue to be so, will be their decision. 

6. Jacobsen: Are the high-IQ societies more intended for the adult population or not?

Sorensen: Not necessarily, since these societies should be open to all, without exclusions of any kind.

Duplantis: Mensa is certainly for both, but as previously stated, the vast majority of high IQ societies are adult only.

7. Jacobsen: How have the communities of the high-IQ evolved over time for you?

Sorensen: From best to worst.

Duplantis: I have only been in the high IQ society world for a few years, so I am unable to speak to this.

Mensa is certainly for both, but as previously stated, the vast majority of high IQ societies are adult only.

8. Jacobsen: More precisely, what high-IQ societies have you joined – full listing, please? Why those? 

Sorensen: In some of these Societies I am honorary member.

Isis, Profundus, Magnus, Icon, Elite, Callidus, Thinkiq, Egregius, Sidis, Myriad, Synaptic, Misty Pavillion, Space Time, Supernonova, Grand IQ, Ultima, League of Perfect Scores, Top IQ Scores, World Genius, Atlantiq, Romanian, Gentle, Brain, Spiqr, Hriq, Triple Nine, Dark Pavillion, Secret Society, Hidden Position, American, Canadian, Torr, Leviathan, Odysseus4Gifted, Hall of Sophia, League of Geniuses, Speculation, Core, Star, Indian, Capababilis and Psychic of Intuitives.

Besides Triple Nine and WGD, many of them have invited me for becoming member. Apart from the two formers, I guess that I enrolled in them, perhaps because I have an unfulfilled unconscious desire, for doing a patchwork collection, with the nice designs of their certificates, or with the fashionable labels, that they hold in their names.

Duplantis: Oh goodness. I went on a mad tear at first. I am a member of:

Triple Nine Society

Mensa

Elite High IQ Society

Profundus High IQ Society

I am also a former member of ISPE. I am certain that I am forgetting some, but that is what I can think of, at the moment. At first I joined because, why not. I now am only involved in TNS and Mensa because they are more of social clubs. They provide the greatest opportunity to meet and interact with other members. That is what I seek. I jokingly refer to TNS as my support group. 

9. Jacobsen: Why should societies simply use mainstream tests with the highest sigma reach as the most reliable metrics to measure general intelligence rather than alternative intelligence tests? 

Sorensen: Because these are the tests applied by professionals, and are the only ones scientifically endorsed. Therefore, they are universally recognized, and their results are indisputable, although they may have a certain limitation to discriminate excessively high scores, in case that these exceed the ceiling of their scales. Nevertheless the aforementioned can be remedied, and in consequence equally reliable results are possible to be achieved, through extrapolations by applying correct mathematical formulas.

Duplantis: Just with youth testing, not all tests are able to get a clear view of the precise place on the curve in which someone falls. Seeing as how my interest primarily falls in the category of socialization, I would much prefer to be a member of an organization that has members that are closest to my sigma. This will allow for greater relatability. Mensa is a mixed bag of 2+ sigma, but is weighted heavily in the 2 range.  Although I enjoy the youth division, I find myself leaning more towards TNS for my personal connections and interactions.

10. Jacobsen: Do you think the profit motive is an issue with the dozens and dozens of paralyzed, defunct, and active while limited to online, high-IQ societies? 

Sorensen: I think it could become an issue.

Duplantis: I am not sure I would necessarily call it an issue. I am aware it is ever present, as I am a member of some of those superficial organizations. Everyone takes their own path and discovers, at some time, which are useful and which are not. 

11. Jacobsen: What do you make of some societies simply built around a singular personality, idea, motive, etc., rather than something built more for the public and the community of people at these rarer cognitive levels?

Sorensen: Because I think it represents the stubborn self-centeredness, of some of those who are behind these societies, since they are unable to look at anything other than their belly button, and in consequence they lose sight, of the meaning and purpose, for which these societies should be built.

Duplantis: Variety is important. Although we are a smaller group (the high IQ community) there is room for sects within that have similar characteristics. The example that comes to mind is the Genius Poet Society. I am not a member, as you have to not only have a high IQ, but also be a published poet, which I am not. I am a hockey player and I relate it to different leagues. Although we all play the game, we are separated into skill level.  There are some teams that are even further separated into only veterans or a specific nationality (Korean).  

Appendix I: Footnotes

[1] Justin Duplantis is a Member of the Triple Nine Society and the former Editor of its journal entitled Vidya.

Christian Sorensen is a Philosopher that comes from Belgium. What identifies him the most and above all is simplicity, for everything is better with “vanilla flavour.” Perhaps, for this reason, his intellectual passion is criticism and irony, in the sense of trying to reveal what “hides behind the mask,” and give birth to the true. For him, ignorance and knowledge never “cross paths.” What he likes the most in his leisure time, is to go for a walk with his wife.

[2] Individual Publication Date: July 22, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/sorensen-duplantis-one; Full Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2020: https://in-sightjournal.com/insight-issues/.

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