Unused talent vs. wasting time

Bubastes · Jul 12, 2007

This quote from rugcat on the "talent" thread got me thinking:

"If you are lucky enough to be blessed with some talent, you still have to work hard to achieve anything. If you’re talented and don’t do anything with it, you’re wasting a freely given gift and are a pathetic slacker."

But what about people who believe that spending time using your writing/artistic talents is a waste of time in itself? I've worked with plenty of people who think that anyone who spends time on frivolous projects (read: not "real" work) is a slacker.

So, is unused talent justifiable if the time is spent being a well-behaved, productive working stiff?

maestrowork · Jul 12, 2007

And what if you have multiple talents but can only work on one or two at a time? Are you wasting your other talents? I think people should pursue what they love and are passionate about, and what makes them happy. There's no such thing as "waste" if you work hard on something you believe in. The other stuff is just extra.

wordmonkey · Jul 12, 2007

You do what is right for you.

I forget where I found it, but I heard a great quote which sums up my feelings on this.

"Your opinion of me is none of my business."

KingM · Jul 12, 2007

And just because you're good at writing doesn't mean you're good enough. You might write for years and still fall short. Let's suppose that you never really wanted it anyway, but a high school teacher convinced you that you should devote your life to writing because she liked something you wrote for English class.

An important supplement to talent is desire. There's nothing wrong with wanting something else out of life.

Sean D. Schaffer · Jul 12, 2007

I think if a person has a particular talent or love of any art form, they should invest in it. If that means people don't like them, so what?

Some people believe in a judgment at the end of life, where, among other things, God will ask each person what they did with the talents He gave them. I know not everyone believes this, but if you really stop and think about it, which is greater in your own mind? To have the respect of people who think your talents, loves, whatever, are worthless? Or to have respect for yourself, which is built up by doing the things you really love?

Myself, I'd rather have self-respect than the respect of those who think I'm wasting my time by doing what I love.

Besides, if what you love brings you joy, then I think that's all the more reason to 'waste your time' investing in those things.

BlueTexas · Jul 12, 2007

MeowGirl said:
This quote from rugcat on the "talent" thread got me thinking:

But what about people who believe that spending time using your writing/artistic talents is a waste of time in itself? I've worked with plenty of people who think that anyone who spends time on frivolous projects (read: not "real" work) is a slacker.

Ignore them. There is no greater insult.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 12, 2007

MeowGirl said:
This quote from rugcat on the "talent" thread got me thinking:

"If you are lucky enough to be blessed with some talent, you still have to work hard to achieve anything. If you’re talented and don’t do anything with it, you’re wasting a freely given gift and are a pathetic slacker."

But what about people who believe that spending time using your writing/artistic talents is a waste of time in itself? I've worked with plenty of people who think that anyone who spends time on frivolous projects (read: not "real" work) is a slacker.

So, is unused talent justifiable if the time is spent being a well-behaved, productive working stiff?

If you don't do anything with the talent you have, of course it's a waste. And it's a waste you'll probably see only when it's too late to matter.

There's nothing wrong with spending some time on frivolous projects, as long as the real work is getting done. If it isn't, and if you live long enough, you'll regret the waste far more than anyone else.

rugcat · Jul 12, 2007

MeowGirl said:
This quote from rugcat on the "talent" thread got me thinking:

"If you are lucky enough to be blessed with some talent, you still have to work hard to achieve anything. If you’re talented and don’t do anything with it, you’re wasting a freely given gift and are a pathetic slacker."

Well, let me clarify. If you have a real gift for say, music, but aren’t that interested and would rather raise horses, more power to you.

But if you have the talent to be a professional musician, and indeed that’s the path you’ve taken, but you never work on anything because you have enough talent to skate by without much effort, I think that’s a shame.

You’d be settling for mediocrity when you could fully actualize yourself, simply because you’re too lazy to put in the work. Meanwhile, others with less talent who work like dogs would give their proverbial eyeteeth to have your gift.

Then again, if you’re happy being a slacker, who am I to criticize? Although, in the end, I think the "I coudda been a contender" will end up haunting you.

I believe that meaningful work, however you define it, whether creative or otherwise, is vital to happiness.

blacbird · Jul 12, 2007

But what if, like me, you have a talent for wasting time? Can you refine it, develop it? Maybe get a grant for it?

caw

rugcat · Jul 12, 2007

Yes, but unfortunately, by successfully completing the grant application you are automatically disqualified.

blacbird · Jul 12, 2007

Even if I turn it in late?

caw

Siddow · Jul 12, 2007

I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time are a waste of my time.

Thar. C? I is riter! LOL!

Willowmound · Jul 13, 2007

Siddow said:
I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time are a waste of my time.

Thar. C? I is riter! LOL!

I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time, are a waste of space.

Thar! C? I pretendz to be editor, lulz!

Bartholomew · Jul 13, 2007

Siddow said:
I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time are a waste of my time.

Thar. C? I is riter! LOL!

Willowmound said:
I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time, are a waste of space.

Thar! C? I pretendz to be editor, lulz!

I nominate the first one as confusing sentence of the year. I nominate the second one as a closer runner up.

Those who accuse artists of laziness do not know the hard work that is a painting, nor the joy that is looking upon one.

Sean D. Schaffer · Jul 13, 2007

Willowmound said:
I think that people who think that time spent on artistic pursuits is a waste of time, are a waste of space.

Thar! C? I pretendz to be editor, lulz!

Better a waste of space with something to say, than a waste of time with nothing good to say.

Thar! C? Me act lik big filosofer!

Shadow_Ferret · Jul 13, 2007

Sean D. Schaffer said:
Myself, I'd rather have self-respect than the respect of those who think I'm wasting my time by doing what I love.

I have self-respect. What I want is fame and fortune.

CoriSCapnSkip · Jul 14, 2007

MeowGirl said:
So, is unused talent justifiable if the time is spent being a well-behaved, productive working stiff?

Not to me, which is why I'm a broke artist instead of financially productive, but I can see how others look at it that way. Keep in mind, many people in this society don't read and are going to view writing as just a huge waste of time. And, as far as hard work, life is just unfair. There are people who have typed their fingers raw, but you know what? Their writing was no damn good!

CoriSCapnSkip · Jul 14, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
I have self-respect. What I want is fame and fortune.

I said it before and I'll say it again: this site has the most sensible people on the internet!

Elodie-Caroline · Jul 14, 2007

Hmm, I have been brilliant at art, especially drawing people, since I was old enough to hold a pencil. But working with my art never interested me, it is just something I can do, not something I wanted to do, so I don't do it.
I write, as that is the only kind of art that really interests me.
I don't think I'm wasting my talents or that I'm a slacker, I just prefer to follow my heart, instead of what people expect from me.

Elodie

MeowGirl said:
So, is unused talent justifiable if the time is spent being a well-behaved, productive working stiff?

Anthony Ravenscroft · Jul 14, 2007

MeowGirl said:
people who think that anyone who spends time on frivolous projects is a slacker.

I'll resist the urge to suggest that these so-called "people" are a bunch of subhuman Morlocks with steeply sloping foreheads -- after all, that'd be a prejudice.

But think about what doesn't count as wasted time:

NASCAR events
televised golf
hanging out in bars
shopping at Wal-Mart

If those are significant activities, then that alone is reason enough to attempt writing something.

maestrowork · Jul 14, 2007

Elodie-Caroline said:
But working with my art never interested me, it is just something I can do, not something I wanted to do, so I don't do it.

Same here. I know I can be competent, maybe even good, but I have no interest in becoming a visual artist. And that's the reason why I got out of my IT character -- I can definitely do it, but I don't wanna, even if they pay me well (and I was lucky enough to quit and do something else). To me, if I had stayed with the job, that would have been a true waste of time.

That ties back to the discussion on talent vs. hard work in another thread. I think people have talents in various things, but how they apply their hard work depends on what their hearts desire. I know actors of various levels of aptitude but the common attribute for those who is "working" is their burning desire for the performing art. I mean, some of them live and breathe acting. I'm finding this desire now to tell a good story -- the only thing that is stopping me in my track, sometimes, is my fear of either failure or success. But the desire is there. I just need to work harder.

Sean D. Schaffer · Jul 14, 2007

maestrowork said:
Snipped...

That ties back to the discussion on talent vs. hard work in another thread. I think people have talents in various things, but how they apply their hard work depends on what their hearts desire. I know actors of various levels of aptitude but the common attribute for those who is "working" is their burning desire for the performing art. I mean, some of them live and breathe acting. I'm finding this desire now to tell a good story -- the only thing that is stopping me in my track, sometimes, is my fear of either failure or success. But the desire is there. I just need to work harder.

That, I think, makes a good point in either subject. Without the love for what you're doing, no amount of talent or hard work is going to do much for you. There has to be what you called 'a burning desire' for one's chosen profession, or a person will never realize their true potential regardless of how talented they are or how hard they work.

At least I've found that true in my own life. Some things I have a talent for, but I have absolutely no interest in doing. Other things, like writing and art, I simply enjoy to no end. Perhaps taking one's talents and weighing out which ones mean something to the individual in question, is more important than the possession of the talents themselves.

RG570 · Jul 14, 2007

rugcat said:
But if you have the talent to be a professional musician, and indeed that’s the path you’ve taken, but you never work on anything because you have enough talent to skate by without much effort, I think that’s a shame.

You’d be settling for mediocrity when you could fully actualize yourself, simply because you’re too lazy to put in the work. Meanwhile, others with less talent who work like dogs would give their proverbial eyeteeth to have your gift.

Tried that. And I now settle for mediocrity because no matter how hard I work, no matter that I can hold my own technically and theoretically, there is NO way to stand out in the music climate. There is such a glut of guitarists, personality and who you know matters way more than your actual playing.

Some industries have little possibility for self-actualization. I think music is the biggest one. Gaining success as a writer seems easy compared to trying to get anywhere playing guitar.

If the business you pursue does not reward talent, then it can be a waste, I think. Then it becomes a crap shoot. Which requires no talent at all, but a match for fickle tastes and the kind of personality that sells.

Celia Cyanide · Jul 16, 2007

rugcat said:
Well, let me clarify. If you have a real gift for say, music, but aren’t that interested and would rather raise horses, more power to you.

But if you have the talent to be a professional musician, and indeed that’s the path you’ve taken, but you never work on anything because you have enough talent to skate by without much effort, I think that’s a shame.

I suppose I've always believed that if a person has a great talent and doesn't try hard enough, or gives up because it's too hard, it's really because it's not what s/he really wants to do.

I think that if a person has musical talent, s/he can choose to raise horses, or choose to do music but not work too hard at it. I don't really see the difference, because either way, it's someone using his/her talent as much as s/he wants to.

davids · Jul 16, 2007

Unused talent vs. wasting time

Me? I have used my talent in two careers to enable me to do what I want when I want-never wasted a bit of it and have had a ton of fun and lots of candy! I am a lazy sod and appreciate this aptitude for sodding about and having no guilt feelings what so ever-regarding the use of talent! Other shit? On occasion but so seldom I cannot remember one example

Unused talent vs. wasting time

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