@davidolsen8291

4 years ago

This story is amazing, because it has a lot of subtle elements that match my personal experience. The father (who represents the scientific consensus on IQ, because his mathematical interpretation of IQ graphs is perfectly explained) is presented as authoritarian and abusive, rather than calm, rational, and informed. It is, and was, impossible for he non-genius son to accept IQ information without taking it personally, and becoming resentful. The female teachers who administer the IQ tests are portrayed as callous and out-of-touch, even though they CORRECTLY explain the scientific consensus on IQ by stating that you can't raise your IQ score more than about ten points. Like before, it was impossible for the non-genius son to hear this IQ information without taking it personally, and becoming resentful. The non-genius (older) son is presented as the hero of the story for BOTH refusing to open the envelope AND learning to forgive his abusive father. However, whenever an abusive father exists, the most logical conclusion is that he abused all of his children in some way. So if the non-genius (older) child is a victim of his father's abuse then so is his younger, genius brother! There is no heroism in rejecting valid scientific conclusions about IQ, especially when you lose empathy for your younger brother. The older brother's resentment prevents him from saying things like, "My little brother was so young and vulnerable when my father started abusing him. It was my job, as an older brother, to protect him - but I was too focused on my own pain to even try." Or, "I cannot undo my past failures with my younger brother, but I can make an effort to understand his side of the story WITHOUT judging him, so he can hopefully stop being depressed and find love." Still, if the story was written to highlight how normal-intellect people come to resent intellectually smarter people, then it did a really good job.

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