Apparently, according to psychologists, intelligence and the ability to accomplish a goal despite a minor obstacle is not only abnormal, but worth studying.  This is especially true if the person being studied is gifted or highly intelligent.

It is fascinating when second tier minds delve into top tier or genius minds under the guise of scientific research , while assigning syndromes and abnormalities, in other words problem behavior, to superior intelligence and genius.

If the goal truly is to help people lead more normal lives, you can count me out. I am absolutely positive that I do not wish to be normal. I want to be smarter than normal, happier, more fulfilled, more successful, enjoy better relationships, and so forth. I am not aiming at normal but as outstanding.

Who aims at normal?

Is being normal even possible, since everyone has different talents?

It should be noted that whenever someone attempts to criticize me by that cutting comment, “You’re not normal”, which usually means the speaker wants his or her own way, I usually reply heartily, “Thank you!”

Wanting to be normal is a phase that preteens and teens of the human species go thought, although for them “normal” seems to mean fitting in with one’s peer group. After that age it would seem that seeking to be normal would be a sure sign of immaturity.

Boing Boing has a recent blog that comes from a post at Psychology Today about a study conducted by Edouard Machery on people who supposedly have Asperger’s Syndrome.

Asberger’s Syndrome is largely the latest attempt by psychologists to attack people who are geniuses or are in the upper 25 of intelligence for the population by determining that these folks are not normal. Who needs a “scientist” to inform then that people like Einstein and Newton were not normal? Doe not the term “genius” imply that?

So many people who are super smart and gifted are now being diagnosed or suspected as having Asperger’s, which is considered to be within the autistic spectrum.

Spectrum? As in colors? Wow! How fancy! As an artist, I like spectrums. Does this mean autism comes in colors? Apparently the use of the word spectrum is just a clever way to lump everyone who is not within the decided range of “normal” into a problematical range.

According to the study a man who has been running and is dehydrated goes into a Smoothie shop and asks the clerk for the largest smoothie available. The clerk replies int comes with a free special cup and asks if the runner wants that. The runner simply says give me the largest smoothie and so gets the smoothie is the cup.

The next instance includes the same initial variables. The runner asks for a smoothie. This time the clerk says that the largest smoothie is a dollar ($1) extra. The runner repeats the order for the largest smoothie available.

Now, from this study it seems that normal people think that in the first instance obtain the special cup was not intentional. But in the second instance paying the extra dollar is seen as intentional and as a decision. People who have been determined to have Asperger’s syndrome think that neither obtaining the cup or paying the extra dollar was intentional, just part of the process to =obtaining the goal of the largest smoothie.

There is a hot discussion of comments over at Psychology Today, and one is mine.

If the goal is to obtain something — in the case of the study the largest smoothie– then accomplishing the goal despite small obstacles is a mark of intelligence.

The choice (intention) is whether or not to accomplish the goal.
Since the special “free” cup is basically a gift, that has no bearing on accomplishing the goal whatsoever. It does not present any obstacle.

The extra dollar is a small obstacle possibly, but clearly price was not a factor considering the original request to the clerk was for the largest smoothie, not how much is the largest smoothie?

To begin with, the clerk has a mental problem of his own, since he even mentions the extra dollar, which could be an obstacle to the greater sale, when the sale is actually already made. This is akin to a Lexus salesman who has a buyer ready to sign offering suddenly reminding the buyer that for far less money he could buy a top of the line Toyota.

Next, a “normal” person who allows himself to be deflected from a goal due to a small inconvenience, which is paying an extra dollar — not even a good tip for anything nowadays — seems to me to be the person with the problem.

If the situation was set up differently, so that the largest smoothie cost say $20.00 extra, an exorbitant amount of money for any smoothie, then perhaps the test might be valid and make some sense. Deciding whether to pay a recognized over the top amount for a common item, change goals or go somewhere else would be involved. The chiice would be more intentional.

It also should be noted that Asperger’s syndrome people are all highly intelligent and even rational. Decisions are not usually made based on emotions but facts and reality.

Why is this considered to be a problem or a syndrome? It seems that this is because it is not “normal”. Normal people can behave irrationally based on emotions and unconscious beliefs, decisions and memories. They give more weight when making a decision to their feelings, including those of anger, upset, sadness, jealousy, etc.

The study needs to focus on the decision making processes of the so called scientists and psychologists who study Asperger’s Syndrome as an abnormality, rather than as a new “normal” for intelligence and decision making that humankind can hope to attain.

Here is my comment: If the goal is to obtain something — in the case of the study the largest smoothie– then accomplishing the goad despite small obstacles is a mark of intelligence.

The choice (intention) is whether or not to accomplish the goal.
Since the special “free” cup is basically a gift, that has no bearing on accomplishing the goal whatsoever. It does not present any obstacle.

The extra dollar is a small obstacle possibly, but clearly price was not a factor considering the original request to the clerk was for the largest smoothie, not how much is the largest smoothie?

To begin with, the clerk has a mental problem of his own, since he even mentions the extra dollar, which could be an obstacle to the greater sale, when the sale is actually already made. This is akin to a Lexus salesman who has a buyer ready to sign offering suddenly reminding the buyer that for far less money he could buy a top of the line Toyota.

Next, a “normal” person who allows himself to be deflected from a goal due to a small inconvenience, which is paying an extra dollar — not even a good tip for anything nowadays — seems to me to be the person with the problem.

If the situation was set up differently, so that the largest smoothie cost say $20.00 extra, an exorbitant amount of money for any smoothie, then perhaps the test might be valid and make some sense. Deciding whether to pay a recognized over the top amount for a common item, change goals or go somewhere else would be involved. The choice would be more intentional.

It also should be noted that Asperger’s syndrome people are all highly intelligent and even rational. Decisions are not usually made based on emotions but facts and reality.

Why is this considered to be a problem or a syndrome? It seems that this is because it is not “normal”. Normal people can behave irrationally based on emotions and unconscious beliefs, decisions and memories. They give more weight when making a decision to their feelings, including those of anger, upset, sadness, jealousy, etc.

In normal relationships emotional reactions (as opposed to conscious emotional responses) are understood as valid reasons for making a decision. By extension all phobias would be normal and valid as they are fueled by emotional reactions, especially the emotion of fear.

Asperger’s Syndrome as an abnormality, rather than as a new “normal” for intelligence and decision making that humankind can hope to attain.

Again, why aim at normal? Why not aim at extraordinary success, in life through increase intelligence, more control of ones mind (including one’s thoughts and emotions) and success?

Tags: Asperger's, Asperger's syndrome, Boing Boing, Edouard Machery, emotions, fitting in, genius, gifted, goal achievement, high intelligence, intelligence, Intentional Action, normal, normal people, normalacy, phobias, Psychology Today