Talent

People sometimes tell me, "I wish I had your talent", "you have talent in eating that peanut butter sandwich."

I understand that people say all that mumbojumbo with nice and flattering intentions. But to me that is just completely insulting and pejorative.

Let me open my dictionary and look for the definition of the word "talent."

Talent: natural endowment or ability of a superior quality. - farlex dic.

How funny is this.

Now what would happen if I ask these people who use the word "talent" in their every day language, if they are eugenicists? First they would ask me what the eugenics is and once I explain to them what it is, they would flush with anger, go home to their wives and beat them up like there's no tomorrow or burn down a school full of bunnies (I stole this idea from Family Guy).


Whilst I believe in brain malfunctions, which sometimes produce incompetent "geniuses, savants" like Kim Peek, I do not believe in such thing as "natural ability."

If I'm good at something, it's because I work fucking hard for it(and also the environment factor). While you are out doing Tequila shots at a club, I'm at a library, reading. While you are out ridin' low with your homies, I'm home learning to play musical instruments. While you are out with your friends gossiping about the latest trend, I'm home studying languages. Then you tell me that it's all just "talent"?

Isn't that amazing? that one actually needs to make sacrifices and work hard towards the goal to be good at something?

Perhaps when you say the word "talent", you do not necessarily mean the "innate ability". In fact, "Having natural ability" or "choosing to be good at something" may even sound the same to you. You are(choose to be) incapable of understanding anything more profound than your basic instincts and the immediate things you see or hear. You never stop and brood over the meaning of words that come out of your mouth. You'd rather that other people talk for you, and think for you. So you sit on your ass in front of TV every night and scream that Tiger Woods is a son of bitch just because that's what the media constantly tells you. You may even use a proverb or two to describe the situation. Which, of course, are usually empty in meaning and inappropriate with the reality but you immediately predict their value to be high for the longevity of them. You never stop to wonder if whatever Tiger Woods does in his private life is actually any of your business or any of the proverbs you use are actually consistent and sensible.

And that, sweetheart is, precisely the reason why I don't take you seriously or say "thank you" when you compliment me on my "talent."