Gifted

And she wasn't wrong. Our society talks about all kinds of privilege — socioeconomic, racial, gender, sexuality. I never hear anyone talk about IQ privilege. Being 'gifted' wasn't a sure-fire ticket to success — just like being born rich wasn't a one-way ticket to a great life. But it certainly helped.

I noticed this from a young age. In first grade, my teacher allowed my best friend, Canna, and I to sit up the back of the classroom and do arts and crafts while all the other kids spent hours learning how to read and spell. Growing up, I was constantly told how smart I was and how much potential I had. Adults praised me because academic achievement is something revered by society (notice I said academic achievement, not true independent thought).

I also got a free-ride through high school and university on scholarships. When a private school offers you a scholarship, it's not from the kindness of their own heart. It's because you're a strategic cog in their marketing machine. It's very transactional, though no one would ever say that out loud. You're expected to make the school look good in exchange for free tuition. In Australia, schools are publicly ranked each year based on how well their graduating students perform in the state exams. Fee-paying parents use those ranks to determine which school to send their child to. So that was my job — to be a high performer. I knew the role I was expected to play to keep the adults happy.

That's not to say I wasn't a hard worker — I worked really hard. For my first few years in boarding school, I made sure to get dux each year. I liked being the best. As I got older and started my little eBay business, my interest in school waned. I stopped caring so much. School began to look pointless.