Forum Post: talent
Posted 12 years ago on April 7, 2012, 11:07 p.m. EST by idontexist
(24)
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Is almost complete bullsh.it (do i need to sensor), true some kids are innately skilled at stuff, but thats rare, some people have some talent but you need to train even with that you must practice.
And without any talent you can beat a talented person with enough practice.
people create the myth of talent so you don't compete.
Do you know the Parable of the talents? It's perhaps the origin of our modern use of the word.
Three servants are given talents (money) by their lord. The first two servants invest the talents and make gains and are rewarded by their lord. The third servant:
'He also who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter. I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours."
But his lord answered him, "You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter. You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away. Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."'
I think to a great degree this parable describes our current struggle.
Could you explain this parables meaning a bit deeper. This one is still hard to grasp. It seems the third servant failed to invest his talent or money, so he produced no benefit. He lived, but that was it. Whatever talents he had were never put to use. The potential was there, but never realized. Similar to a fruit tree that is fertilized but produces no fruit. Why waste the time and money fertilizing. It is worthless and should be torn out and burned.
I would compare some of our mega corporations to servants who instead of benefiting society, actually feed off the very people they should benefit. Like a tree whose fruit when eaten, causes internal hemorrhaging, the lifeblood seeping into the ground, nourishing the tree through it roots.
The great philosophy behind the Jesus' parables is that it isn't always exactly what one thinks. We are forced to fight our way to the wisdom contained. One comes out as thinking the third servant is at fault and deserves the ire of his lord for failing to invest money.
But what I believe is really trying to be said is that "talent" is a shallow representation of worth. How do we measure speaking and acting in favor of the truth? In this case, the truth being that the lord "reaps where he does not sow." The third servant can't honestly make value out of the talent he is given by his lord, since his lord's talent is vile, selfish, and made from the impoverishment of others.
When Jesus said "but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken," he's trying to expose the moral flaw in competition. Someone, like Mitt Romney, who is quite simply given more to work with has an easier time of making wealth out of his already apparent wealth. Joao the Slummer can't transcend from his environment because the Lords surrounding him make sure to reap what Gustavo has sewed, and take his talents away from him.
interesting
there is a really good book - "talent is overrated" if you are interested in the subject - makes your point about practice and uses interesting research
thanks
Is there a point here ?