tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135159.post8005794488254748681..comments2022-03-25T12:27:47.618-07:00Comments on M.Christian: Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker: Commitmentmchristianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11887406428164757014noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135159.post-2492907289385334852007-11-06T10:15:00.000-08:002007-11-06T10:15:00.000-08:00So glad you liked it! ‘Talent’ is such a weird wo...So glad you liked it! ‘Talent’ is such a weird word and in many ways it makes no sense. You can’t really say when someone has it or doesn’t – there’s no ‘talent’ gland, for instance. I dismiss it however for purely … well, I guess you could call it ‘ethical’ reasons: I don’t like the idea that there’s something some people have yet other people don’t that either keeps them from achieving an artistic goal or helps them get it. It also smacks of a kind of almost religious favoritism: you are a better person because you have ‘talent’ or you have ‘talent’ because you’ve done something special and magical in your life. I prefer a kind of Buddhist idea: that anyone can achieve artistic enlightenment. It just takes a lot of good, old fashioned work.mchristianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11887406428164757014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135159.post-78818648185586090962007-11-06T03:38:00.000-08:002007-11-06T03:38:00.000-08:00Geez, this is something that was good to read (for...Geez, this is something that was good to read (for today, out of all days or one of 'those days'). Thank you.<BR/><BR/>My definition of talent varied over time, but has (in the past two years) solidified. Some think it's about producing new content, or being on the cutting edge of extremism. I can't say that I believe that every person is born equal, but at the same time I do think that individual experience develops one's affinities. A person may take to painting, sketching, dress design. I'm often torn between utilizing 'talent' and 'outlet'. I believe an outlet serves to blend mental schemes or observations about the world (the microcosm and macrocosm). I don't believe talent is about thrilling people from the outset, and wholeheartedly agree: it's about commitment to some larger picture, or long term view. There are times where commitment may take the front seat, but it all balances out in the end.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com