Mikee

Paul, Thanks for your links in post #601. I read "Talent and Practice" first and enjoyed it. It parallels my experience. Nothing comes easy, but after focus and practice you eventually forget that you had any trouble with whatever it was you were practicing. The "Small Grey Matters" article says "Hold on! Things aren't quite that simple." Which I'm inclined to agree with. I've recently read Matt Ridley's book "The Agile Gene", "How Nature Turns on Nurture". He makes the point repeatedly and with examples how environmental conditions can cause the same gene to express itself differently. I recommend Matt Ridley highly. I've read one other of his books "Genome" which I've mentioned in the book section, I think. Your Nathaniel Branden quote is a gem. Best Regards, Mike Erickson

I've already voted. Kadinsky's work is not my favorite, but I like it far better than a Victor Pross caricature. "Art" for the purpose of mocking and insults hardly qualifies as art. Kadinsky has more universal appeal, appealing to the ability of the human mind to respond emotionally to colors, lines and patterns.

Kat, My "Sent" folder in my email account is empty even though I've sent several emails. Is there a way to turn on "save a copy" for emails that I send? Thanks, Mike Erickson

Victor, Sorry, I don't want to carefully read all of the posts in this thread again. Given your latest post I take it you retract your initial proposition in the first post: "Why is it that some people are born with the ability to draw or play a musical instrument? It’s an ability that can be noted early in childhood and that some children are clearly well advanced to that of other children. They go on to be artists, [if they chose] while others can’t draw to save their lives. And they never will, no matter how much they try."

Brant, The communists [perhaps all social engineers] don't regard individuals as "plastic" or "moldable", rather they regard them as expendable. Ayn Rand certainly didn't regard human nature as "plastic". Rather, individuals as moral or immoral. Otherwise: "WTF??!!" Angie: Thanks for the Einstein article. Here is the link: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/he...ne/1280971.html I used a quote from Einstein in a discussion indicating that his thinking did not happen in words but he translated his idea into words to explain them. My point was we should try to understand the IDEAS behind peoples words rather than picking apart the words themselves. When someone says "That's not what I meant" they are really being truthful and you shouldn't continue to shove their own words down their throat but go on and try to get to the ideas themselves. There are some very good word meisters floating around who have little or nothing original to say, conversely, their are others who have very original ideas but are difficult to understand.

Ellen, Well, I think Brant was making an attempt at humor re: Euler diagrams and people talking past each other. Anyway, I laughed. But many people think I have a warped sense of humor. Cheers, Mike E

Leonhard Euler [1707-1783]: Math prodigy, fortunate to come under the tutelege of Johann Bernoulli at a young age. Thus an example of a "talent" that benefitted from both nature and nurture to a very high degree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonhard_Euler Also the inventor of Euler Diagrams: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler_diagrams

I find myself mostly in agreement with Shayne. I've resolved the differences between Shayne and Victor in my own mind as follows: Humans have evolved with a toolbox of innate potential abilities, mental and physical. The level of a given fundamental ability varies from individual to individual. Some individuals have a high level of aptitude across the board, some have "peaks", abilities above normal for their average ability level. A combination of "peaks" may combine fortuitously to produce an individual with a high degree of potential "talent" at some task. Whereas this person may be average or mediocre at most things at the task where he "peaks" he learns quickly and performs well early on. Positive feedback for this task reinforces the desire to perform this task and he quickly outstrips most others of his same age group. A person with high potential across the board may perform well at many things. No one task stands out to get positive feedback for and this person may do many things well but not spend an inordinate amount of time on just one thing. So nothing stands out as his special talent. Where Victor is talking about this fortuitous combination of "peaks", Shayne is talking about innate ability at a more fundamental level.

E, Without the accumulated knowledge of countless generations we would still be living in caves. Without the knowledge and skills of thousands of different specialties and subspecialties we would be building our houses out of logs with our own hands and hunting and gathering for food. We really need other people to live the lives we are accustomed to and to thrive on earth. And not just for the warm fuzzy feelings. An appreciation of this real need makes it easier to like people, considering that in the long chains of transactions we are all involved in every day in our complex societies someone we may personally disdain may be be the producer responsible for something we depend on.

Kat and Michael, Best wishes for a Merry Christmas! and a very productive New Year! Cheers, Mike Erickson

Happy Birthday Kat! May you have many more. Thanks for all you do. Mike E.

Amy, You'll have to give me some time! Rand comes up on the same page as Heinlein and Asimov in the literature map. Also Larry Niven. I've read a lot more "hard" sci-fi than fantasy. Heinlein and Niven were favorites. I read many of William Gibson books and liked them a lot a few years ago. I'd have to give it a lot of thought to come up with all of the authors I've liked through the years. I guess Silverberg and Ursula Le Guinn opened the fantasy door for me. And I've watched "Lord of the Rings" and the Harry Potter series with enjoyment. I haven't done a lot of fiction reading the last few years. I'll probably reread some old favorites when I finish with the Terry Goodkind series. I'll read "Wizards First Rule" first. I don't read fiction to learn a point of view or philosophy. I just like a good story with a good plot, preferably with lots of action, written by someone I have some possibility of actually liking if I knew them in person. The "Literature-Map" I haven't actually tried out. That is, buy a book by an unknown author near one of my favorites. Just an interesting website I stumbled across. Cheers!

Amy, Read all 725 pages of "The Pillars of Creation" over thanksgiving holiday. Wow. That Oba character sickened me and almost turned me off to Mr. Goodkind (as in "What kind of sicko dreams up this kind of stuff") but it all made sense in the end. Anyway, I'm a fan. I've put the whole series on my want list for Christmas. Hope to knock off the first two during my ten days off. Have you ever used the "Literature Map" website?: http://www.literature-map.com/terry+goodkind.html Mike Erickson

Mark, I believe the secret to "success" is the same as any problem solving exercise. Identify what it is that you want to solve, list all of your resources, list the steps you have to take to get to your goal, break these steps into smaller steps and then just get started. Small achievements every day lead to continuous increases in your self confidence, self satisfaction, energy and ultimate achievement of your goal. When you reach your goal you may find that you set your goals too low and it's time to raise the bar. It's not easy to make this a habit. In fact, it's pretty darned hard. Just keep telling yourself that you deserve to be happy. While you're listing your resources be sure to list that you are a very good storyteller and a likeable guy. Don't neglect your health. I'm rooting for you. By the way, it's not laziness or bad premises, just the difficulty of forming habits that you haven't learned at a very young age. Best Regards, Mike Erickson

Amy, I enjoyed your post very much. I'm going to pick up something by Terry Goodkind and have a look. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_Truth ] "Any questions...don't hesitate...any complaints...please notify....any suggestions....gladly accepted!" I noticed you live in Virginia. Now, I'm suffering from "Amy envy" because you live very close [much closer than 3000 miles] to the great Ciro D'Agostino [ http://cirosnypizza.homestead.com/ ]. From all accounts Ciro is a great cook. And also very wise. Oh, my suggestion is: go eat at Ciro's place! Best of luck to you. Mike Erickson

Damn. Up 'til now I've been pleased with my "Thunderbolt", actually enjoying going into the other room and straighten the pictures on the wall from time to time. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.

Michael, I like Robert Ringer too! Damn, I've got to go in my attic and dig around for "Million dollar habits" and "Looking out for #1". I think he's great. Thanks for the link. I'd forgotten all about him. God, I have a terrible memory. Mike Erickson

Whoa! That really was a rant. Whoever SAID life was fair? What do you mean by fair anyway? You always get what you want? Random strangers HAVE to pay close attention when you get all wacko on them? I recommend finding a Karate guy to teach you how to break wood with your fists. Then buy a wood stove.

"Poor Leonard." I remember this too. It may have been from a taped conversation or interview?

Well, he requested a military style firing squad, so that's out. I hope they televise the hanging. I'd like to see him wet himself when they put the rope around his neck. Seriously, the sooner he's gone the sooner things have a chance of settling down. If he'd been shot "trying to get away" when they first found him I think things would have progressed much farther by now. Just my opinion.

Danneskjold, The "split" is not important except to certain people who have an ax to grind. The true details and context are only known to the participants. Any discussion by outsiders [EVERYONE else] simply becomes an argument.

When I was around twenty I read Anthem two or three times, perhaps not as many as other books of Ayn Rand. But Anthem is the only book out of which I copied something which I have kept with me to this day: "I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me. And to earn my love, my brothers must do more than to have been born. I do not grant my love without reason, nor to any chance passer-by who may wish to claim it. I honor men with my love. But honor is a thing to be earned. I shall choose friends among men, but neither slaves nor masters. And I shall choose only such as please me, and them I shall love and respect, but neither command nor obey. And we shall join our hands when we wish, or walk alone when we so desire. For in the temple of his spirit, each man is alone. Let each man keep his temple untouched and undefiled. Then let him join hands with others if he wishes, but only beyond his holy threshold." The original hand written copy I made when I was still in the Navy fell apart in my wallet after a few years. I don't remember how many typewritten copies I have made. I agree it is exalted, but not religious. If I were a true zealot I suppose I would have simply memorized it.

It's also useful to have some idea of what effect various dosages of radiation actually have: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Hormesis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormesis

Shayne! It's good to see you. -Mike Erickson

The worthy topic in this thread is Adam Reed. I have always found Adam Reed worth reading, whether I agree with him on a particular or not. I consider this thread primarily about him, secondarily about solop. I find him an interesting intelligent serious minded and moral individual who I've learned things from. I hope to see more of him.