A Theory of Moral Giftedness: Transactional, Transformational, Pseudo-Transformational

Moral giftedness is a highly superior level of knowledge, abilities, and attitudes that are required to apply universal principles of right and wrong to life problems, including personal, collective, and societal ones. Giftedness can be morally value-neutral. Or it can be transactional, in which case what is moral depends upon a transaction between oneself and either oneself, others, or both. Transformational moral giftedness is moral giftedness exercised to make the world a better place—to create, through moral behavior, a positive, meaningful, and potentially enduring difference to the world. Pseudo-transformational giftedness is the pretense of moral giftedness that in fact serves only oneself or members of one’s preferred group, usually at the expense of others. We need to develop transformational moral giftedness in young people while there still is time in the world to do so.