Discover Your One Talent: Piano Prodigy

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of talent, specifically focusing on personal preferences for extraordinary abilities in various fields such as music, mathematics, writing, and sports. Participants share their thoughts on what talent they would choose if they could excel in one area, exploring both the nature of talent and its implications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a desire to be a piano prodigy, able to play and compose masterful pieces.
  • Others mention interests in talents such as extraordinary mathematical abilities, writing, singing, and athletic skills.
  • A participant reflects on the pressures that come with being talented, sharing their experience as a horseback rider who prefers enjoyment over competition.
  • One participant argues that logic-math talent represents the highest form of intelligence, while others counter that artistic talents like music and writing are equally valuable.
  • There is a discussion about defining talent, with some suggesting that it should be distinguished from skills that can be developed through practice.
  • Several participants express uncertainty about their own talents, with some humorously claiming to have talents in areas like getting into trouble or disagreeing with others.
  • Concerns are raised about the categorization of talents as recreational versus professional, questioning the implications of such distinctions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the nature of talent or the relative importance of different types of talents. Multiple competing views remain regarding what constitutes a true talent and how various talents should be valued.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express personal experiences and subjective views on talent, which may not align with others' definitions or values. The discussion reflects a range of perspectives on the implications of talent in personal and social contexts.

GCT
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Some people are just plain extraordinary, beyond gifted regarding a particular level of talent...naturals. If you had one talent, if you could be distinguished in one thing...what would it be? That is which of the following would you choose to be extraodinary so much as that you would be completely satisfied with possessing such an ability, in and of itself.

-piano prodigy, being able to play beautiful, masterful, magical piano pieces as well as being able to spontaneously compose a piece

-an extraordinary mathematical/logical talent

-other scientific talent

-athletic ability, e.g. "absolutely incredible" AI, Allen Iverson, dazzling fans

-Incredible writing talent

-other musical talent

or any others if you care to add

I think that I would pick the piano category
 
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I have a talent!?
 
I would love to have a beautiful singing voice.
 
i have no talent
 
being talented can suck you know. once people realize that you can do things very very well, are very smart, well they raise their expectations. I am a very talented horse back rider. I have coaches that want me to compete like mad, and push my own and my horses limits. I just want to ride. I love to ride. I don't want to compete. its a constant battle with my coaches. luckily I have good parents who don't push me. I can't imagine dealing with pressure from parents.
 
I think I'd enjoy being a talented writer. Someone who could write wonderful novels that people just can't put down as they get lost in a fictional world.
 
I'd really like to be able to read people well though...I mean really read their thoughts, be able to tell all about them after a 5 minute discussion...

Heck while I'm at it we can go about our own talents... I'm not sure if this qualifies as a talent, but I'm very good at video games.

Any game I've ever played, if you give me a little time and practice, I always become one of the best players of that game there are...for instance AOE II and Tribes 2, I'm nearly unbeatable in both of those games...

I've also got a rather quick reaction time, I've found that out while doing fake sword fights and what-not with friends.


But as far as any "real" :redface: talents...not sure...I'm smart, but I haven't found my niche yet. I'm pretty good at computers but then again that's just knowledge, not a natural inclination, or "talent".
 
I see logic-math talent as the only real form of intelligence--the highest-level intelligence for which all other intelligences are mere skills. So, for that and other reasons (what you could do with such a talent), that would be my choice.
 
Sure, some people might want to be able to play the piano or write a novel... but these are recreational talents. They might be pleasant, but they wouldn't change your life as much as logic-math talent could do.

Actually, if it were an option, I would take mystical insight as my talent. It doesn't get any better than that.
 
  • #10
so can we define talent as a skill within the naturally possible domain that is also shared with a set of other people with same or more talents?

Kind of makes the whole question pointless - if you can achieve it, it won't be called talent - it would be called skill. If you can't achieve it, then I'd call it a supernatural ability - which is not in the domain of talent.
 
  • #11
... I seem to have a knack for musical instruments?
 
  • #12
I love music and literature. I love to read and as much to write. I used to write plays, short articles and poems. Its all gone now though, my creative skills have died since one quite tragic incident. Maybe i will be inspired again in the future :-/.

-- AI
P.S->I like to argue on many philosophical topics but i came to know that this talent is widely known as "philotrolling" (something like philately?) so i started to curb this talent of mine :p
 
  • #13
BicycleTree said:
Sure, some people might want to be able to play the piano or write a novel... but these are recreational talents. They might be pleasant, but they wouldn't change your life as much as logic-math talent could do.
I could see a physical v. intellectual distinction, or maybe a creation v. performance distinction. What do you mean by recreational or pleasant talents? Recreational v. professional? Pleasant v. miserable?
 
  • #14
BicycleTree said:
Sure, some people might want to be able to play the piano or write a novel... but these are recreational talents. They might be pleasant, but they wouldn't change your life as much as logic-math talent could do.
How are Piano and Writing more recreational and less professional than Logic-Math?
 
  • #15
I don't have any talent! T.T

But my mom sure has one. Sleep...
 
  • #16
Getting into trouble - especially when I was a kid, then a teenager. :biggrin:

Summertime was especially difficult. Fortunately I had summer programs at university, but there was usually a couple of weeks where I would stumble upon an opportunity to do something really stupid and . . . . my folks were not amused. :biggrin:
 
  • #17
Astronuc said:
Getting into trouble - especially when I was a kid, then a teenager. :biggrin:

Summertime was especially difficult. Fortunately I had summer programs at university, but there was usually a couple of weeks where I would stumble upon an opportunity to do something really stupid and . . . . my folks were not amused. :biggrin:


There are some good stories stories here, I can tell!

You know the rules! Sharey sharey!
 
  • #18
I have a talent- I generally disagree with people.

BJ
 
  • #19
brewnog said:
There are some good stories stories here, I can tell!

You know the rules! Sharey sharey!
Hey I know some of your talents:
1.good at telling lies!
2.good at praising yourself(this requires your first talent)!
3.levelheaded in difficult situation like losing your cat... :wink:
 
  • #20
Dr.Brain said:
I have a talent- I generally disagree with people.

BJ
Exactly, Dr wetblancket!
 
  • #21
Lisa! said:
Hey I know some of your talents:
1.good at telling lies!
2.good at praising yourself(this requires your first talent)!
3.levelheaded in difficult situation like losing your cat... :wink:


Me? Lies?! o:)

I'm not really that good at praising myself, I prefer to think of it as honesty. :smile: In fact, I reckon I'm the most modest person in the UK.

Anyway, I have load of skills. You know, like nunchuck skills, bowstaff skills, computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
 
  • #22
brewnog said:
Me? Lies?! o:)

I'm not really that good at praising myself, I prefer to think of it as honesty. :smile: In fact, I reckon I'm the most modest person in the UK.

Anyway, I have load of skills. You know, like nunchuck skills, bowstaff skills, computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
Ok, now I'm sure I was right! :approve:
 
  • #23
I forgot to say sth:may I ask you how many girlfriends you have?
 
  • #24
Don't forget to ask him about the wolverine hunting he did in Alaska last summer. Say brewnog, what kind of gun did you use?
 
  • #25
I personally don't have anyone skill that I excel at. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades and I kinda like it that way.
I would love to be a writer though. Those who have influenced me most through my life have been writers. Literature and art are the two things closest to my heart. I would have to say that I can't agree with BicycleTree's idea that these things aren't important. If that is your own personal inclination I respect that but it's always good to remember that is your own personal view.
 
  • #26
honestrosewater said:
I could see a physical v. intellectual distinction, or maybe a creation v. performance distinction. What do you mean by recreational or pleasant talents? Recreational v. professional? Pleasant v. miserable?
Smurf said:
How are Piano and Writing more recreational and less professional than Logic-Math?
Recreational talents are valuable to others only for recreation; they don't accomplish any real results. You can't build a better engine by playing the piano.

But what I also meant was that piano and writing are done more often for recreation. It is pleasurable to play the piano or write. Sure, it can be pleasurable to do logic and math as well, but they are often more "active" and there is frequently the other interest of accomplishing some goal, making logic-math often not a purely recreational activity.
 
  • #27
BicycleTree said:
Recreational talents are valuable to others only for recreation; they don't accomplish any real results. You can't build a better engine by playing the piano.

But what I also meant was that piano and writing are done more often for recreation. It is pleasurable to play the piano or write. Sure, it can be pleasurable to do logic and math as well, but they are often more "active" and there is frequently the other interest of accomplishing some goal, making logic-math often not a purely recreational activity.
The results of artistic persuits are definitely most often less tangible but that doesn't make them any less valuable, or the results less real.
And, actually, the most intense amounts of logic I use are generally for a recreational purpose. I play chess and go among other strategy games. I also like logic puzzles and cryptograms.
 
  • #28
Not to mention the intense difficulty of actually understanding Music Theory
 
  • #29
BicycleTree said:
Recreational talents are valuable to others only for recreation; they don't accomplish any real results. You can't build a better engine by playing the piano.

But what I also meant was that piano and writing are done more often for recreation. It is pleasurable to play the piano or write. Sure, it can be pleasurable to do logic and math as well, but they are often more "active" and there is frequently the other interest of accomplishing some goal, making logic-math often not a purely recreational activity.


So, nothing of any real use can be accomplished by writing?

Normally, in these circumstances, I advise people to remove their head from, urm, the sand.
 
  • #30
I would like to be coordinated enough to play video games. :redface:

I'm trying to learn to play World of Warcraft with my oldest daughter (the spawn of Evo). We created my character last night (I'm a Tauren Druid :approve: ) and I went on my first quest. I had to get meat and feathers for my tribe. I left the hut and ran directly into a firepit. :frown:
 

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