What have we been told?
In the 1850s and '60s, Gregor Mendel did his famous pea-plant experiments and demonstrated the presence of genes. Early 20th Century geneticists interpreted his findings to mean that genes alone determined the essence of who we are. Genes set specific lower and upper limits of each person's potential abilities and determine our physical and character traits. Genes lay the foundation to what we can become. The environmental influences only come later.
In 1994, psychologist Richard Herrnstein and policy analyst Charles Murray wrote a book called "The Bell Curve". In it, they warned that we live in an increasingly stratified world whereby those with the best genes, the cognitive elite, will become more and more isolated from those who are not as genetically well-endowed, the cognitive/genetic underclass. This will lead to a genetic partitioning of society.
Why are these ideas wrong?
First, in the emerging science of epigenetics, interactionists study how the environment modifies the way genes are expressed. They found that we have been mistaken all along. Genes do not determine physical and character traits on their own. Rather, there is a continuous and dynamic process whereby genes interact with the environment to produce and refine an individual. Genes and the environment are not two independent factors, but they interact continuously to produce a phenotypic trait like intelligence.
Secondly, research investigating the nature and development of exceptional ability in some individuals indicates that superior talent is not a rare and mysterious gift bestowed on a few lucky people, but the result of highly concentrated and exceptional effort on the part of these subjects.
So, what are the far-reaching and paradigm-shifting implications?
We should no longer view the gene as an autonomous unit of DNA, always producing the same effect. Whether, what, where or when it produces anything may depend on other DNA sequences and on the environment. Genes should now be seen as buttons, knobs and switches constantly reacting and interacting with environmental factors like nutrition, hormones, sensory input, physical and intellectual activity; and also with each other. These interactions go on every moment of our lives, not only during our growing years but up till our last breath.
The equation is no longer "genes vs environment = intelligence" nor "genes + environment = intelligence". The new equation is "genes X environment = intelligence"! So, our genetic expressions and the environmental factors that affect us are inextricably tied. Influence our environment and our intelligence is altered exponentially. It's not that we are talented; but we become talented. If we have no talents, it's alright - we can acquire them! The playing field is really much more level than we realize.
What, then, are the practical consequences?
We must realize that intelligence is not innate nor inborn, but is a process that can be improved. Gifted-ness as a concept no longer holds water. Conversely, few people are really biologically restricted from attaining greatness. In fact, the abundance of latent talent can be released by providing motivation. Self-criticism should be encouraged, failure should be tolerated and served as a platform for improvement, self-blame should be avoided, limitations should be ignored and heroes and mentors can be identified to serve as inspiration for further effort. Responsible parents and teachers should support and believe in the persistence of their striving charges. Society-at-large should foster a culture of excellence by encouraging competition and rivalry among its members.
In short, education will no longer be seen as a winnowing process of identifying and labeling the talented, but as a continuous enhancing process to improve the intelligence of everyone!
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