Quote:
Originally Posted by eskielover
I worked as a computer design engineer with a lot of genius types. No one made them feel ashamed of their intelligence & they didn't look down on those of us who were at a different level of intelligence while still intelligent. We worked together as a team, socialized at times at picnics. Everyone just accepted each other for who they were not how smart or less smart they were. All the companies I worked like were that kind of environment.
Wonder just how much the environment creates a feeling if shame or may be an internal feeling about it.
I was the only one in my familt that got a degree from college. That could have taken me in either direction because my dad didn't think Ibshould even go to the university. I could have felt shame or an extreme sense of pride. I just chose to accept my abiluties as part of who I am.....nithing to feel shame or pride about.
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Eskie, it sounds a bit like you had better luck than some of us. I can speak to the fact that I was ridiculed for my intelligence, for knowing things, for being curious and studious. I can also attest that, both at work and in my family, if I showed too much intelligence or how good I was at something or how smart I really was that my life would be in danger or my job, if it was at work dealing with my boss, for example. And I will say this has predominantly been with men, but also with women, both at work and with my family. It literally was dangerous for me to show how much skill or talent or intelligence I had. And definitely things were done to make me feel ashamed of it or that it was a thing of no value.
The kind of environment you describe is great, but not all of us have been in that kind of environment. My experience has been the exact opposite, in fact. Fortunately I am now in a work environment where my intelligence and talent are very much valued, and I have slowly stopped holding back.
I will also repeat that my shame does not result from a social awkwardness stemming from my intelligence.