Speedcubing... are we talented?

[Ickenicke]

Are Magic solvers talented?

Yes, some of them are.

 

[ZephyLynx]

I don't normally post, but a few things irritated me enough.

Cubing is much more akin to a practiced skill than a natural talent.

No, I practice to be skilled. Talent is such an annoying ambiguous word.

The problem with the vast majority of any argument is that the terms are poorly defined. Talent can mean a level of any skill that is rare, skills that arise naturally (more to do with DNA), skills that people obtained with less effort than most others, etc... Talent is a bit easier to define in more physical activities, but even then, it is hard to define. Generally, I think of "talent" as a level of skill that is rare or higher than most people (the result of hard work), and "natural talent" as a higher level of skill that has more to do with genetics.

Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.

In a lot of activities, "natural talent" plays a fairly minor role compared to experience, determination, and resources.

And also, there is a limit to the cuber who did it with hard work. I'm not sure where that limit is in terms of cubing, but I think there is one. And after they reach their limit, no amount of practicing will do very much.

I think having that mentality is really bad for the advancement of anything. There probably exists physical limits in cubing, but I don't see different limits for "talented" vs "non-talented" cubers. In many fields of science and engineering, the mentality to advancing a field comes from breaking limits, discovering/creating/improving.

But talent does come from God. I sure wasn't the one who decided I would be naturally good at math and music, for example. And I don't think the comment is meant to be demeaning at all. In humility, I know that my abilities didn't come on its own but certainly I had to work hard to be where I am. But I suppose you could take offense to that comment if you did not believe in God... I don't think anyone who does believe in God would take offense. I think accurately, God gives us gifts but we have to use them and practice them to become skilled. Otherwise the gifts mean nothing. So it requires both.

That is a very ethnocentric statement there. I won't get into this, since that would diverge from the main topic at hand.

Skills and abilities evolve over time and circumstance. People tend to get better at things that they practice and do many times, unused skills get rusty, new skills can develop, etc... For the most part, with enough passion and determination anyone can achieve skills in whatever they desire, within reason (no unaided flight for you!).

 

[Dacuba]

Yes, some of them are.

Of course some are. Same as some people are talented on pen spinning, random sport stuff, music, or solving Rubik's Cubes.
Everyone who wants to know if he's talented in anything should just ask himself honestly. If I ask myself about cubing, the answer is no. Am I being ignorant, or why does that feel simple for me?
Applying this to the question "Are People doing Speedcubing always talented in solving a Rubik's Cube?" the answer is no.
Maybe I just didn't understand the question or the word "talent" or both.

Spoiler

What preposition is used for "Being talented ... doing something"?

 

[blakedacuber]

. A marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment. See Synonyms at ability.
2.
a. Natural endowment or ability of a superior quality.
b. A person or group of people having such ability: The company makes good use of its talent.
3. A variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East.

There's a definition of Talent

 

[Cubetastic]

I'm not sure about you guys, but I'm ... Just kidding, in my opininion it's an acquired skill, that takes practice to become talented.

 

[Petro Leum]

You need good visual thinking and of course the physical ability to move your fingers this fast.... but i would rather call that limitations you dont have instead of talent.

 

[NicoCuber]

This video...Talent? Yes?...

 

[insane569]

Is it just me or is there a lot of faceless new guys?
OT: I think being able to solve the cube is a talent. Think of it as, Stable times, My times are always under 20. Yea anyone can do that if they tried but since most people dont I am part of a small group. But there is still skill with it and some parts not talent. We practice to get this good and build our "skills" that keep us where we are. The part that isnt talent IMO is the cube being able to cut corners and turn well, Along with lucky scrambles.

 

[Eazoon]

Speedsolving cubes is a talent, but we aren't naturally talented. I for one believe I at least am talented when it comes to learning fast, as well as most of you. For example, I taught myself to weave when I was 9 by reading the instructions and I obviously learned how to cube through youtube.