An estimated 50 savants are thought to populate our
planet at this time. Savant syndrome is
a mental condition where those afflicted have extremely limited (autistic) mental
capacity and low social function with the exception of one seemingly unearthly
mental capacity or skill. Some savants,
as example, cannot tie their own shoes but can calculate any square root in
their head in milliseconds. Some can
recall exact times and dates for events going back thousands of years. Perhaps you recall the movie Rain
Man inspired by life of a savant named Kim Peek.
Though nearly all savants sacrifice communication
skills and normal levels of function to gain the unfathomable abilities to play
piano or calculate or paint, one young savant from Britain seems entirely
normal. Daniel Tammet is called a
high-functioning savant. His
extraordinary abilities are in a vast memory and, in particular, math and
language acquisition. He has shown the
ability to speak, read, and fully understand almost any language in one week. He is capable of calculations that are beyond
the ability of most hand-held calculators.
In one demonstration, he sat down and recalled—without error—the first
20,000 numbers of Pi. This feat took him
over five hours. Tammet claims to “see
and sense” numbers in his mind more than “think” them. Often, the numbers are a specific shape or
texture in his mind. He claims that the
number nine is very large and intimidating.
The skyscrapers in New York City make him feel the same way as the
number nine. Tammet describes the number
333 as attractive and the number 289 as especially ugly.
At the same time that the world is home to these
estimated 50 savants, here in the United States an estimated 50 serial killers
are thought to be “at work.” Serial
killers are usually quite brilliant, though not to the elevation of a
savant. The emergence of serial killers
often seems to be founded on environmental conditions—most have experienced
abuse and an odd relationship with their mother. The critical difference between savants and
serial killers is in their ability to function in normal society. Though sociopathic and driven to kill without
remorse, most serial killers fake normalcy to such a degree they are often
respected by peers and acquaintances.
Ted Bundy, in spite of murdering at least 30 women (and even keeping the
severed heads of some victims for a time as mementos), was quite handsome and
developed a charming false surface that fooled virtually everyone. Bundy even maintained a somewhat stormy
relationship with a woman that lasted more than five years. For a while he was an active member of the
Republican Party in Washington State.
So here we have 50/50. Mis-wired, the human brain can do marvelous
or reckless things. I am sometimes thankful
for ending up with my own “wired to minimum Code standards” brain—one that has
on occasion directed me to place my cell-phone in the freezer and then set the loaf
of bread on the counter.
I am happy and mostly harmless.
--Mitchell
Hegman
