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Expanded Moral AwarenessThe Potential For Advanced Emotional And Ethical Development MORAL CONCERN can be observed in even very young gifted children and is an expression of intellectual intensity. When combined with sensitivity and empathy, which are expressions of emotional intensity, moral concern is transformed into moral commitment. |
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Moral Concerns & the GiftedBecause of their intellectual complexity, gifted people are able to consider the possibilities of how things in the world might be. At the same time they can see how far short the world is falling of their ideal and they often feel keen disappointment and sometimes despair. When they try to share their concerns with others, they are often met with reactions such as denial, minimising, puzzlement or hostility. Many gifted people feel deeply for others.They sense their joys, pains, sorrows and hopes and sometimes become distressed when they cannot alleviate their problems. Sensitive gifted people will often weep at the cruel treatment of an animal or the struggle of human existence. Today, with each news bulletin, we receive information about world problems - crises, poverty, war, environmental devastation, natural disasters. We then have to consider and emotionally respond to the ramifications of these events. Gifted people's empathy for the suffering of others makes them particularly vulnerable to the many forms of insensitivity they see on television, at school or work and in the world around them. Often gifted people feel powerless to act against this insensitivity and their sense of helplessness can lead them to despair and being critical of themselves as they feel a responsibility for these situations. |
Emotional WellbeingFor their emotional wellbeing, it is important for young gifted people to be encouraged to explore some of the world’s problems and possible solutions. As gifted children are concerned about political and social problems, values and moral ethics, they need to be exposed early to areas of the curriculum, such as Science and Social Studies and Philosophy, where these issues can be explore. The consciousness, concern, personal responsibility and commitment of gifted people should be nurtured and supported so that they will feel equipped to use their talents towards the resolution of global problems. Gifted people should also participate in projects or community service to alleviate their sense of helplessness.
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