Do you think it is bad to be good at something and do it well?

[Amelia G]

In another thread, some people mentioned that someone who shines basically opens themselves up to being treated badly to an extent where they do not even deserve sympathy for suffering.

Do you think it is bad to be good at something and do it well?

I mean, a person can't help being born with talent or intelligence or certain aptitudes i.e. physical coordination, musical pitch, etc. But they can avoid reaching their potential.

Do you think it is good or bad to punish people for striving to reach their full potential? Are there some potentials it is more or less appropriate to punish people for excelling at i.e. is a successful actor more or less worthy of contempt than a successful director?

[Bikerpunk]

Modern touchy-feely liberal thinking says that yes, it is bad that some people are bigger, or stronger, or faster, or better than the rest.

Back when I was a kid, you weren't the best, you didn't get a medal. Now they give medals to everybody so that noone's feelings get hurt.

To answer your question: hell no. And all this modern interest in making everything "fair" for everyone is bullshit.

[Mr Karl]

there is nothing else worth putting an effort into being alive for.

(writings not what I'm good at)

[Camby Savelle]

I think it's fucking stupid and pathetic to hold the fact that someone is good at something against them. If you do, I think you should be ashamed of yourself and rethink your values.

I don't mean to be rude but I have a very strong side on this topic.

I've seen it constantly, I've seen people hate someone because they're more talented or they look better or they get a boy/girl/oppertunity, or just have an easier time in certian situations. I think these people's problem is that they're looking at others and comparing themselves to them, then not liking the results, Instead of finding a way to improve or accept themselves, they build hatred or blame that is very unjust.

I don't think we should ever punish someone for being good at something. That doesn't even make sense.

(That includes bosses in workplaces that reward you for doing a good job around slackers by giving you more work.)

[Bikerpunk]

I think it's fucking stupid and pathetic to hold the fact that someone is good at something against them. If you do, I think you should be ashamed of yourself and rethink your values.

I don't mean to be rude but I have a very strong side on this topic.

I've seen it constantly, I've seen people hate someone because they're more talented or they look better or they get a boy/girl/oppertunity, or just have an easier time in certian situations. I think these people's problem is that they're looking at others and comparing themselves to them, then not liking the results, Instead of finding a way to improve or accept themselves, they build hatred or blame that is very unjust.

I don't think we should ever punish someone for being good at something. That doesn't even make sense.

(That includes bosses in workplaces that reward you for doing a good job around slackers by giving you more work.)

Well, I'd say we just simply do this:

1) Take all the haters and help them find their positive contribution. No, maybe you're not the next Britney, but that's no reason to hate Brit...

2) Stop telling people they can do ANYTHING they set their minds to.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I think if someone does something well, they should be rewarded. I've had it happen to me at work and people have resented me for doing my job to the best of my ability.

[dead_but_twitching]

its fucking normal to be good at something! i mean that's what makes us who we are, isn't it?

we are not all born with the same privillegies, and those who think that we were all born equall are fooling themselves greatly. and then we become jealous of the fact that someone is better than us, come on people.

in fact i think that is the thing that inspires people to do better. jealousy that is.

but then again if you're Britney, and not really good at anything but being a madia cry bab, we are entitled to hate you, and by hating you it compells us not to do the same mistakes that you've done

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

If you think we punish people for being good at what they do, you should see how we treat people who are not successful.

Since I think someone lashing at Spears' drama with child services is the cause I will use it as an example.

People are judging her harshly, and it is unfair but relatively inconsequential judgments. People saying nasty things on a forum. That is all.

If anyone else, successful or not made the news they would get the same treatment. Jane McAverage has her kids, keeps them longer than the courts allow, resists a police order to surrender them and is suspected of being high. If this reached the news, Jane would get the same hate, with a bonus tasering and a night in jail. The hate of Brittney is not because she is good at something, but because, to the haters, she is "Getting away with it". Whether or not she is doesn't matter it is the perception.

This county idolizes success, not necessarily talent and it punishes failure to the point where we place moral judgments on things that have little to do with morals, like income. Sure their is backlash, but it is largely flaccid. We call them names, harp on scandals, but ultimately do nothing. There are haters at every level, the famous just reach a larger audience.

We don't punish success in this country, we punish failure. We don't much care how you achieve either. While that does not mean that Britteny deserves the mean things said about her, she does get to sleep it off in rehab instead of jail.

Unless you are Robert Downey Jr. then you get jail.

[Mr Karl]

if your good at something and people know it then they start expecting miracles from you and take advantage

[theUnclean]

to a limited xtent, I agree with Mr. Karl. People (most) tend to expect more from those that excel and less from those that suck.
Until recently, I always told myself, 'the more I do, the more I can do'. That ruined my life in more ways then I would ever admit, to anyone. Lack of trust aside, I personally tend to think that slackers and those that simply suck are the ones that bitch the most about someone else's success.
As for me, do what you can, do it the best you can, and fuck everything else.

[Mr Karl]

and then, when you can't miraculously achieve absolute perfection they dare to say your incompetent. The upside is that if your good at one thing you can learn to be good at something else.....

[evilstonermonkey]

ummm... did i post something in here the other night? or was i drunk and hit the wrong button?

[TheDeathKnight]

It does happen sometimes, and it kind of sucks...
On one hand, it's nice to show off your art, and talent.
But then you get accused of "showing off", or being egotistical.

I was recently having this debate with someone over this issue.
How do you be an artist, and not show people your art?
How do you accept praise, and not come off as looking
like you are in need of that praise?

I do art because I enjoy it.
And I enjoy it when people compliment me on it.

But for every 10 people who compliment me,
there are one or two who think you are egotistical for even saying
you are good at what you do, no matter how humble or respectful you are.

I know I am not "the best". I know there are better artists,
and I know there are people with other talents, in other areas.

I like to share my art, and I can appreciate other people's art.
I think being creative is one of the best things you can do,
to make life a more interesting place for everyone...

[Amelia G]

It does happen sometimes, and it kind of sucks...
On one hand, it's nice to show off your art, and talent.
But then you get accused of "showing off", or being egotistical.

I was recently having this debate with someone over this issue.
How do you be an artist, and not show people your art?
How do you accept praise, and not come off as looking
like you are in need of that praise?

I do art because I enjoy it.
And I enjoy it when people compliment me on it.

But for every 10 people who compliment me,
there are one or two who think you are egotistical for even saying
you are good at what you do, no matter how humble or respectful you are.

I know I am not "the best". I know there are better artists,
and I know there are people with other talents, in other areas.

I like to share my art, and I can appreciate other people's art.
I think being creative is one of the best things you can do,
to make life a more interesting place for everyone...

In particular, I think with art that it is important for others to see it. I think that creating only for oneself is masturbation. Creating only for others is commerce or craft. Creating for oneself and others is art. For me anyway.

[Mr Karl]

some people create to live, some people live to create

.......

[evilstonermonkey]

It does happen sometimes, and it kind of sucks...
On one hand, it's nice to show off your art, and talent.
But then you get accused of "showing off", or being egotistical.

I was recently having this debate with someone over this issue.
How do you be an artist, and not show people your art?
How do you accept praise, and not come off as looking
like you are in need of that praise?

I do art because I enjoy it.
And I enjoy it when people compliment me on it.

But for every 10 people who compliment me,
there are one or two who think you are egotistical for even saying
you are good at what you do, no matter how humble or respectful you are.

I know I am not "the best". I know there are better artists,
and I know there are people with other talents, in other areas.

I like to share my art, and I can appreciate other people's art.
I think being creative is one of the best things you can do,
to make life a more interesting place for everyone...

i quite often feel like something i have written/drawn/whatever might be worthy of showing, and at the very least i would be interested in getting anothers opinion on it, see how it compares to how i feel. but im always uncomfortable with it, cos it feels like im trying to show off or something, or that they might think i am. which, to me, is very very discomforting.

[Wynden Nightshade]

I think it's hard not to be jealous of people that have attributes you desire...which is basically what it boils down to. Sometimes it's hard to look at things from a different perspective and try to find something outside the material to strive toward. I've been the "queen of low self esteem" for a good bit of my life but when you realize how fleeting life really is...it starts to change your perception. So no...it's wrong to punish people for being talented but bitterness is a hard taste to get rid of.

[Wynden Nightshade]

I use the word "hard" alot....wonder what Freud would say about that....