2011.07.02 Leechers and Flinchers

The idea of "leechers and flinchers" has been percolating for a long time, but it crystallized today during a strolling conversation with S.

Basically, the idea is two opposite reactions to interactions with a superior intellect. Leechers are those who take advantage of the access to the superior mind, while flinchers are those who tend to be avoidant of the interaction entirely because of self-esteem repercussions. Strictly speaking, I visualize both leeching and flinching as essentially negative, but consider there to be strongly positive potential in mediating a dynamic tension between the two.

For the full-leecher, it's negative because they use the superior intellect like a smarts-vending-machine, and as such don't respect it. This means that the superior intellect will tend to feel displeased, and may terminate future possible useful interaction. Similarly, the full-flincher gets no benefit from the interaction for obvious reasons. But, if an individual can moderate some middle ground between leeching and flinching, the partial-leeching allows some useful access to the superior intellect while the partial-flinching shows due respect.

I suppose that there's also the possibility of divining an even more strongly-negative interaction. It would be the full-leech combined with the full-flinch, such that the fruits of the superior intellect were claimed as their own.

Incidentally, I think I'm mostly a flincher. Made me a terrible student.