Tonight I watched the premiere of America's Got Talent on NBC. Of all the talent competitions on television these days, this is the only one that I can bring myself to watch. Idol has become a joke to me--judges of a singing competition have to be versed in the field of music rather than just knowing what they like--and So You Think You Can Dance? is an attempt to elevate contemporary dance in a society that does not value the art form. I watch AGT for a couple of reasons. First, it runs in the summer and there really is not much else airing. Second, and more importantly, the show does not define the area of talent. Singers are competing with comics, dance teams, and circus acts.
As I watched tonight's episode, I was amazed at how often the unusual--dare I say, weird--was equated with talent. Yes, I watch people drill objects through their body, but not out of respect for their skills. Rather, I'm watching with a morbid curiosity of when is something going to go horribly wrong. Most of the time I was viewing the competition, I was wondering who told these people they were talented. Sadly, it often falls on the shoulders of loved ones who rarely have qualifications to determine whether or not they are good in their chosen performance area.
Talent is more than an natural inclination toward something. I enjoy doodling, but if anyone calls my drawings a great talent, I must tell them they are lying! Some of you have seen my stick figures recently....it's quite embarrassing to say the least. In my line of work, I often come across children who have some natural connection with music. They are naturally rhythmic or they easily process the printed notes on the page. Does that mean they are talented? I don't think so; it just means that they have a skill set that makes some aspect of the task easier than others.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines "talent" as "a marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment; natural endowment or ability of a superior quality." I think this definition provides two aspects of the word talent that are often overlooked: "marked" and "superior quality." Just because a child can play the piano does not mean they are talented; they must display a superior ability, markedly greater than that of their peers. If anyone is going to claim that my sketches are the sign of talent, they need to be among the best that are seen in my immediate world. (Let the onslaught begin; I am certain that many of you will disagree with me and say that my expectations are too high. That's your opinion, but this blog is where I get to express mine whether you agree or not.)
Why is our world so full of people who think they are talented when the product they present does not measure up? Immediately, I have to assume that they have been told by a parent or family member that they have great skill. Why? The only thing I can possibly understand is that the comments are intended to be a source of encouragement and positive re-enforcement. Those are desirable outcomes to breathe into the lives of those we love, but not at the expense of setting them up for future failure and hurt. I would much rather see a child enjoy the pursuit of music for the pleasure of the experience rather than trying to live up an unrealistic expectation of extraordinary talent in the field.
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Hi Kennith--Good thoughts on talent. Your perspective seems to hold a lot of compassion for the "talented" and their well-intentioned loved ones. I wonder whether some people just want their 15 minutes of fame and will do whatever it takes to get it? Either way, I suppose the eventual outcome is likely to be loneliness--fame comes and goes like the wind, and at some point the talented are separated (by their "marked" differences) from the less talented.
ReplyDeleteRelated to that, talent (or, "skill," as you might define it here) is not a sufficient guide for what we ought to do with our lives. In a marketing class in my grad program, our professor gave a warning about pursuing things we're good at because they're easily available versus really pursuing passions. E.g., I might be good at treating alcoholism, and there is plenty of demand for that after graduation. But, as the professor warned, 10 years pass too easily, and I'm still doing what was quick and easy but meant to be temporary. If my real passion (and hopefully some talent, too!) had been working with married couples, I'd have lost the 10 years to "good," not great.
Great points, Mike....and things I needed to be reminded of as well. That's one of the things I have always appreciated about our friendship. I enjoyed browsing around your blog as well. Such a wonderful looking family you have. Expect to see an occasional lurker from Arkansas from time to time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kennith! Lurk away! As you know from blogging yourself, comments on posts let us know that someone (anyone?) is reading. And, comments are good motivators to keep up the good work. My parents are too freaked out to post anything for fear that someone will come through the computer and re-program their toasters, or something like that. So, let's keep each other going!
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