Ok being "gifted" is a little more complicated than performing behaviors as a trick to entertain guests the way a dog or a parrot might be taught to. But to me that's what it felt like. I was being taught to perform tasks such as reciting the Declaration of Independence, memorizing lists of facts or maps, spelling bees, and then scholastic bowl in high school... Chess tournaments. All these things are just kids being taught to perform tricks for the sake of their parents' bragging rights. It does nothing to help the kids themselves. These activities were supposed to prime me for future success well they didn't. All I learned how to be was a performing animal, a circus act, and since I'm not a kid anymore I'm not a particularly interesting one.