International Mathematics Olympiad on BB2 yesterday

[spokette]

Did anybody watch this about the young mathematical geniuses who were competing to represent GB at the IMO? These teenagers were exceptionally gifted and on a completely different level to 99.9% of the population.

Being exceptional gifted is very rare and I suspect a lot of children who are now singled out for G&T programmes are in fact just very intelligent.

This programme was an eye opener for me anyway!

[TellusMater]

I was engrossed! Loved Jonathan. Bit of a gulp at Daniel getting married at the end (he was what 19? Just starting university?)

A bit worried about Jos and how he came over. Made me feel a bit uncomfortable watching it at times.

[chopchopbusybusy]

DD1(13) and I both watched this last night. DD is good at maths, but just (thank goodness)in a normal way. We missed the first half hour so I assume we missed the personal details of the candidates. They were cerainly unlike any of the teenagers I know. I realise Jos has Aspergers because this was mentioned a few times during the programme. It was very interesting though!

[chopchopbusybusy]

Tellusmater- remind me. which one was Jonathon?

[TellusMater]

The young one. Sang in a choir. Made a record breaking rocket (DH would just die to have a son like that )

[chopchopbusybusy]

Oh yes - I know now. I liked his explanation of the rocket.

[spokette]

I thought Jos would make the last 6 but I think he let himself down by not involving himself in the team effort to solve problems.

DH and I really liked his matter of fact, deeply analytical way of explaining everything. However, I suspect he is only sufferable in very small doses.

The subtext that touched on their social inclusion/exclusion was also fascinating. Jos had no empathy for anyone or anything unless he could see a point to it or it interested him. My DB has Asperger Syndrome and I identified many behavioural similarities between him and Jos.

I thought the 18yo who married the Chinese girl was very insular and arrogant and I just did not warm to him. Jos was arrogant too but I still found him affable in a strange way.

The Chinese kid who hated other Chinese people was deeply disturbed imho. I think he needs help.

[spokette]

I also liked the way Jonathon stomped on the interviewer who started questioning his Christianity. Why people think that science and religion have to be mutually exclusive is beyond me.

[TellusMater]

Daniel (the one who got married) also had Aspergers Syndrome.

[chopchopbusybusy]

I did warm to Daniel during the programme, found him very strange, but not arrogant. Painfully shy, and if I were his Mum I'd be really worried about the marriage, but as she said she couldn't really stop him.

[chopchopbusybusy]

Ah OK thanks. I did wander about the info I missed at the start. That makes sense.

[brimfull]

I really liked Daniel,felt he had a real humility about him .Jos was uncomfortable viewing,I did feel that the producers beefed up the fact that he didn't get on with epople.

[chopchopbusybusy]

or even wonder...

[clerkKent]

I would have liked to see more of the boys who did not have Aspergers. It came across as a bit of a freak show.

[Listmaker]

I agree that more on the kids who didn't have asbergers would have been good. I thought Daniel was lovely and wanted to just give him a hug. Jos was also fab in his own way but would drive you nuts if you were with him for any length of time I suspect.

You could see how they would never fit in with most kids at school and how hard that must be for them. Think they should make teenagers watch something like that to get more empathy for kids like Daniel and Jos.

[NotAnOtter]

what an amazing program this was

felt the boys looked prime candidates for mental ill health and sociability problems when older

Jos's pomposity was just too over bearing

[NotAnOtter]

skerry mum- that was Saul he seemed very grounded

[NotAnOtter]

jos seemed to act as if to have emotion was something to be dirided

emotionally very immature imo

[brimfull]

I kept wondering if it would have been possible and beneficial for Jos to have been taught how to be socially more acceptable.
I realise his unsociable personality traits are mainly due to the aspergers,but is there not a way to teach him not to be so arrogant thus rendering him more likeable.Does he care ....probably not.
He just seemed quite unhappy.

[spokette]

Jos behaviour is very similar to that of Sir Isaac Newton according to books I've read. The fact that Jos's ambition is to solve the unifying theory means that he could well be a future Newton or Einstein. Interestingly, Einstein said "that to come to a unified theory you have to unify the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.I believe that as long as our society is in spiritual darkness it will remain in a scientific limbo, with no unifying insight".

Jos's lack of empathy suggests to me that he probably has no spiritual insight either (could be wrong) so if Einstein was right, Jos will find it a momentus task achieving his dream. Jonathon on the other hand, has that spiritual insight so maybe.............