The Squandering And Exploitation Of Talent

Remember Whitney Houston in the late 80’s?

She had an unparalleled voice and looked like a goddess. She was hugely popular all over the world and – from the outside looking in, at least – had it all. Then she fell in love with the devil in disguise and this soon lead to her druggy demise. Today, her voice is kaput, her looks are gone and she is publicly humiliated. She gave a series of concerts recently where people walked out.  The press had a field day.

I sincerely  feel bad for her, but mostly, I’m just pissed of. To squander such talent seems so wasteful!

I get frustrated, when I see people with obvious talent waste it. Especially, since I am personally very annoyed not to have ONE fabulous talent – one passion, that would just guide my life in an obvious direction. Instead, I’m semi-talented at a lot of things but not REALLY good at one thing. Well, I’m a decent cook and a pretty fast reader. But there are many, many better cooks and lots of people who read faster than I. Being a fast reader never cured cancer or put anyone on the moon. But the again, curing cancer or putting someone on the moon was never my ambition. But then what is? Now, I don’t generally consider myself an unambitious person but I must admit that my ambitions aren’t very large-scale. Most of the time, it is more clear to me what I DON’T want, than what I WANT – and that offers very little sense of direction. Thus, I am at a loss.

So I look for role models. Although I have no desire to be a part of the forlorn “Entertainment Industry”, here I find some people to admire. Paris Hilton – who needs no introduction – is one. Rene Dif from Danish 90’s band Aqua – with the (telling) smash hit titled “Barbie Girl” is another. I see some striking similarities between these two: Both have no apparent talent (to me, anyway!) and both have made big names of themselves worldwide  – having great success in their respective fields. Pardon the arrogance, but as far as I can tell, he is very good at being bald and annoying and she is very good at being naked and looking pouty. Others obviously see more in those two, than I do.

Anyhuu. The lesson I learn from watching the success of Paris and Rene is, that it is indeed possible to be a huge success, even with very little real talent. I am reminded by something I once read by Søren Kierkegaard. To paraphrase *):

He left his job, which he was quite suited for and in a field in which he had obvious talent. The match between him and the job was simply perfect – he thus had everything to lose.

So he quit and joined a traveling circus – a field in which he had no skill, no talent and no experience. He thus had everything to gain.

Ponder that, if you will. I’m going to look for the nearest circus.

*) Jeg har nu i længere Tid speculeret over, hvad det egentlig var for en Grund, der bevægede mig til at nedlægge mit Adjunktur. Naar jeg nu tænker derover, forekommer det mig, at en saadan Ansættelse netop var noget for mig. Idag er der gaaet et Lys op for mig, Grunden var just den, at jeg maatte ansee mig for aldeles skikket til denne Post. Hvis jeg da var forbleven i mit Embede, havde jeg havt Alt at tabe, Intet at vinde. Desaarsag ansaae jeg det for rigtigt, at nedlægge min Post og søge Engagement hos et omreisende Theater-Selskab, af den Grund, at jeg intet Talent havde, og altsaa Alt at vinde.