Child Prodigy Dreams in code.

[Darqsunscreen]

Just came across this. Thought I'd share it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBXZWB_dNsw

[halfheat]

You've gotta love gifted people, they always seem to raise the bar and give you something to strive for, but then again he could just be some kid who was not diagnosed  as being autistic.

[Phage]

This is a classical example of people with high IQ's. They are really strong in some fields but they usually lack behind on the social aspect. In my opinion it isn't worth the extra "skills". I would rather have to work hard for it, and still have the ability to be a part of a social group. This does not sound bad ass at all, but I would not live without my girlfriend. She keeps me going and holds me up!

[Kulverstukas]

This is a classical example of people with high IQ's. They are really strong in some fields but they usually lack behind in the social aspect. I would say that it isn't worth the extra "skills" I would rather have to work hard for it and still have the ability to be a part of a social group. This does not sounds bad ass at all, but I would not live without my girlfriend. She keeps me going and holds me up!

Yeah, well said. Just look how he talks and acts. He might have high IQ and be a "genius" but he's a miserable SOB.

[Axon]

Yeah, well said. Just look how he talks and acts. He might have high IQ and be a "genius" but he's a miserable SOB.

Most of the world known geniuses were having low social skills, but they left a huge impact on our way of understanding the world around us. One day you're mocking him and the next day you find yourself studying his theories.

[Neea]

This is a classical example of people with high IQ's. They are really strong in some fields but they usually lack behind on the social aspect. I would say that it isn't worth the extra "skills" I would rather have to work hard for it and still have the ability to be a part of a social group. This does not sounds bad ass at all, but I would not live without my girlfriend. She keeps me going and holds me up!

I would trade all my social skills to be able to think the way he does. If learning and programming makes him happy, then there is no point in being in a social group, when the things he will create will influence the world. So happiness here is relative, and for him to have a girlfriend would probably be a highly painful experience. (but then again even for an average person, having a relationship can be considered a painful experience )

[Darqsunscreen]

You've gotta love gifted people, they always seem to raise the bar and give you something to strive for, but then again he could just be some kid who was not diagnosed  as being autistic.

Well he does have the symptoms. Lack of social skills, very narrow interests and the ability to focus for hours,days,months.. on one thing.


I'm diagnosed with autism myself but I definatelly have more social skills (although still very bad) than he does. Than again. I don't excel that way in anything either.


I think the key difference is that he really seems to know what he wants. Confidence is a crucial part of being a genius. You have to believe that you are a genius first. Otherwise any potentially good idea you get in your head is diminished by your own self doubt.


I do love the idea that everything is balanced between people. It gives me some sense of justice or that things are evenly divided. I do see allot of proof that it's the way brains work. I like to believe that if a person seems totally retarded in every way. That just means you haven't discovered his or her abilities yet.


Think it comes down to this. You have neurons in your brain and neurons are never wasted. They never remain unused. Therefor if you have a part of your brain that doesn't function possibly done by brain damage at birth or the loss of sight or hearing. Those neurons dedicated for handling those functions.. will now be reused for something else. That's the best way I can explain where this balance comes from.

[static_cast]

Without programmers and hackers with autism, we would know significantly less than what we would if we did.  Because people with autism generally excel in a particular subject, which means they make amazing break-throughs to change that subject.  Deal people with autism with respect, because they are special, even though they may be socially awkward.

[Darqsunscreen]

Deal people with autism with respect, because they are special, even though they may be socially awkward.

What I hate is when people speak of autism as a disease. It is genetic and is not something you can cure.


However.. Normal people can become "autistic". With certain magnets they can deactivate (temporarily) parts of your brain so you do not use different brain parts for different tasks but most of your brain for one task like someone with autism.


It's not inconceivable that one day it might be the other way around. The question is do you want that. If you'd "cure" someone with autism he or she would fundamentally become a different person.


So what is normal. If the world was full of people with autism and there where just a low percentage of people who use their brains in a way that we call normal.. Than, what we call normal, would be out of the ordinary and be called a disease.. The fact is that there's more and more people born with autism every day and that's not just because the population is growing more and more. Allot of people think, and I don't count it out, that autism is nature's way to respond to our technological revolution.

[rasenove]

We are normal just because we are more in numbers !

IS DAT NORMAL?

[Xires]

Genius:Social Awkwardness ratio is usually roughly 1:1

[Uriah]

Im not trying to be rude or anything, but what makes him a prodigy? I mean, isn't he just like any other programmer?

[Xires]

It's not just that he's 14.  It's that he's 14 with an exceptional gift that excels beyond that of far more mature coders.  As well, he's also 14 and will be graduating with a college degree in less than 2 years.  Likely to obtain a Master's degree a year following that.  That is an accomplishment beyond even that of some of our greatest programming 'heroes'.  If you're really interested in understanding what makes him a prodigy, make a friend of him; you'll see.

I do like the comment mentioned about no interest in girls -- that it's a tremendous waste of time.  Tesla felt pretty much the same way.

[rasenove]

I do like the comment mentioned about no interest in girls -- that it's a tremendous waste of time.  Tesla felt pretty much the same way.

rasenove gives hi five to Xires.
::EDIT::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17645998

Take a look at that.
the kids 6 years old and.....

[Darkvision]

This is a classical example of people with high IQ's. They are really strong in some fields but they usually lack behind on the social aspect. In my opinion it isn't worth the extra "skills". I would rather have to work hard for it, and still have the ability to be a part of a social group. This does not sound bad ass at all, but I would not live without my girlfriend. She keeps me going and holds me up!

To me ive always hated this stereotype. While im assuredly not at his level i have tested out for a long time in the top 1% IQ wise. Yet i have zero problems interacting with others, am always popular at work etc. Sure school was a bit rough, but then it really is for everyone. However this whole "big bang theory" kind of portrayal of intelligent people just pisses me off. A guy i knew in school, who is now the 3rd generation of his family to work as a rocket scientist for NASA went from 0 programming languages(at the time it was my 3rd) to being done with the book and advanced coding in a fucking week. Shit i thought I was doing well....Yet he was incredibly popular, threw awesome partys, and had any number of interests aside from hard math/sciences (though granted building devices to have bottle rocket wars with friends is a bit geeky).


Or hell look at Einstein, yes he could tie his shoes, much like above many of his "faults" are flat made up or exaggerated so "normal" peopled dont have to feel so bad. He was KNOWN to be a major "playa"(to update the terminology!). Sure ive seen/met the other side too, that have a major dysfunction in social skills, but near as i can tell its the exception not the norm. In any regard their are far more "famous" highly intelligent world changing men/women with normal or even great social skills than those without.