The roll of the dice
genetically, I mean. I believe, more and more, that there are genetic patters, or at least origins, to behavior. There are things I cannot do, or develop an interest in, and there are things I can do without thinking about it, and it’s often the case that I learn a new task more quickly than anyone simply because it interests me and I absorb it quicker. I now also believe that there are some things that overlap, and some that rarely do. Frinstance: I’ve only met a few mechanics that were decent musicians. You rarely see a guy who doesn’t like sports, but if you do, the odds seem to be that he/she reads voraciously. more so, in fact, than almost anything else. I don;’t have any proof of this beyond the immediate circle of people I know, but the more I learn about bloggers it seems that there are some definite correlations. Why, I have no idea. Still.]
Anything you notice about overlaps/exclusions in talents among your friends?
FWIW, I know many amateur musicians who are engineers. Why that correlation proves to be so far more often than you would expect from chance is a mystery to me, but there it is.
Jenny
your humble TubaDiva
A negative correlation: When I taught English in Japan, I noticed that the students who were leader-types, i.e. members of management at work, usually were poorer at learning English than average. This was true for internalizing grammar and pronunciation; they seemed to be at least average at remembering vocabulary.
I did not notice any particular correlation with being better than average, except that women were generally better than men.
An interesting observation Og, one that I made many years ago, as pure speculation. Guys that can fix cars (or guns, tractors, etc.), are crappy at the “softer” sciences, i.e art, interior decoration (!), music, & prose of most any sort.
I used to play the guitar, back in the days when it was REQUIRED (the 60’s). One day our drummer picked up my guitar & decided he didn’t like just making noise with his drums. Bastarge sounded like clapton 1st time he picked it up. That was the end of MY guitar days.
Point is, some got it, some don’t. I’d NEVER trade my mechanical ability for the “artistic” side, but sure as I’m typing this, it does exist.
If you find a guy (or girl for that matter) that can fix an engine AND play the piano, you have an aberration of humanity.
Happy New Year to you & yours…
Double, I’m right there widcha. Happy New Year!
After reading this and the following comments, I have the need to go weld a couple of plates of steel together.
No pansy stuff either, I’m talking half inch thick stock.
Not to make anything other than a perfectly straight bead.
Dick, make sure you do it at an angle. And weld it vertically ARR ARR ARR!!
Then poop in your hand and fling it at a musician, like i do.
Dang, was that out loud?
Jenny picked up on a common overlap. I’ve run into many engineers and scientists who are quite capable musicians. I fancy myself in that category but would leave judgement to others. I think this particular overlap stems from some instinctive appreciation of the mathematical underpinnings of both fields (Western music, anyway, may not apply to Eastern music with its different chordal relationships).
A related negative correlation I’ve noticed is that solid theoretical engineers and physicists tend to be the worst hands-on guys. I’ve seen these guys in a lab literally not know which end of the soldering iron to grab. Certainly don’t let them have a screwdriver or wrench near an engine you want to keep running….
In contrast to the reputation of car mechanics, bike mechanics seem to always be the most decent, reasonable guys. Maybe because they love bikes and don’t earn much. (I’m talking about the bikes you pedal, not the ones you rev.)
I’m an enigma. A lady geek who snickers at stereotypical chicks, but can grok the finer points of social interaction. Very emotional and very rational. Love science, math, writing, and music, dunno which I’m better at.
Oh, and I read voraciously when I had time, but I’m not into sports. My dad, husband, & brother are really into pro sports, but none of them read much.