Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Age and Accomplisment
I don't know. Maybe I'm just sensitive because I'm going to reach a milestone age tomorrow, but I'm sick to death of headlines like the one on the current Special Issue of Smithsonian magazine. (Fall 2007) It is . . .
37 Under 36: America's Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences
I don't know about you, but the vaunting of the spectacular achievements of our youth make me feel completely inadequate. It always has, even when I was considered young, mostly because the tone is that if you haven't made it by a particular youthful age, the implication is that you'll never make it. As if all of us must achieve something noteworthy enough to make it into a magazine. As if those of us who don't simply aren't worth breathing the air on this earth. I do not begrudge people their accomplishments, au contraire! Amen and hallelujah to them for what they've done. And, amen and hallelujah to those who plug away at tasks that aren't deemed noteworthy by society, but that are crucial nonetheless. (You go, Mike Rowe!) But, quit attaching an age to the accomplishment, as though somehow we're all supposed to be so impressed by the wunderkind, merely because of the age, without factoring in all of the support the kid has had in getting to where he's gotten.
Because we can't seem to help ourselves on the whole age vs. achievement issue, I'd like to point out my favorite article on the subject, published by Wired Magazine in July 2006. (Yes, I still have the print version.) It's called "What Kind of Genius Are You?" and looks at the research of David Galenson, who studied age and achievement and found that those who blossomed early tended to peak early, but that there were plenty of genius types who didn't hit their creative strides until much later in life. There's still hope for those of us over 36.
P.S. I forgot a link that came through The Rake's Secrets of the Day email today. Apparently, I'm not to only one interested in the accomplishments of older folks. Lizz Winstead, who co-created The Daily Show, is looking for guys over 40 who've always wanted to be in a rock band, but life got in their way, for a reality show called "Ready 2 Rock." Here's a link to a video of Winstead describing the project.
37 Under 36: America's Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences
I don't know about you, but the vaunting of the spectacular achievements of our youth make me feel completely inadequate. It always has, even when I was considered young, mostly because the tone is that if you haven't made it by a particular youthful age, the implication is that you'll never make it. As if all of us must achieve something noteworthy enough to make it into a magazine. As if those of us who don't simply aren't worth breathing the air on this earth. I do not begrudge people their accomplishments, au contraire! Amen and hallelujah to them for what they've done. And, amen and hallelujah to those who plug away at tasks that aren't deemed noteworthy by society, but that are crucial nonetheless. (You go, Mike Rowe!) But, quit attaching an age to the accomplishment, as though somehow we're all supposed to be so impressed by the wunderkind, merely because of the age, without factoring in all of the support the kid has had in getting to where he's gotten.
Because we can't seem to help ourselves on the whole age vs. achievement issue, I'd like to point out my favorite article on the subject, published by Wired Magazine in July 2006. (Yes, I still have the print version.) It's called "What Kind of Genius Are You?" and looks at the research of David Galenson, who studied age and achievement and found that those who blossomed early tended to peak early, but that there were plenty of genius types who didn't hit their creative strides until much later in life. There's still hope for those of us over 36.
P.S. I forgot a link that came through The Rake's Secrets of the Day email today. Apparently, I'm not to only one interested in the accomplishments of older folks. Lizz Winstead, who co-created The Daily Show, is looking for guys over 40 who've always wanted to be in a rock band, but life got in their way, for a reality show called "Ready 2 Rock." Here's a link to a video of Winstead describing the project.
Labels: accomplishment, age, creativity, daily show, david galenson, genius, lizz winstead, mike rowe, rock, smithsonian, the rake, wired magazine
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Talk Show Question #1
Here's a question for you:
If you could be in the audience of a talk show, which talk show would you choose?
If you're feeling philosophical about it, you can expound about the whys and wherefores of your choice.
For me, if I'd choose either The Daily Show or Ellen; The Daily Show for the wit, Ellen because she seems fun and she dances.
Your turn!
If you could be in the audience of a talk show, which talk show would you choose?
If you're feeling philosophical about it, you can expound about the whys and wherefores of your choice.
For me, if I'd choose either The Daily Show or Ellen; The Daily Show for the wit, Ellen because she seems fun and she dances.
Your turn!
Labels: daily show, ellen, question, talk show
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
FtTP - Bill Clinton + Rupert Murdoch
Verbatim, here's a Frankensteining the Talent Pool post from my brother:
"Here's one that wouldn't have been possible prior to the year 2000...Bill Clinton & Rupert Murdoch working together on a global warming initiative.
Now, with it being 2006 & the specter of politics removed, they are now working together on just such a project through the Clinton Global Initiative ( http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=346&srcid=-2 ).
Here is a link to a Fortune Magazine article on the CGI site about the CGI: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=628&srcid=346
I wonder what could have been accomplished when he was in office, with the politics removed. It's proof positive that politics are nothing more than a grab for power by the power-hungry, damn anyone who gets in their way & fuck the people that they are supposed to be serving.
Cheers with beers,
Nick"
Clinton was just on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night, with repeats running today, talking about his Global Initiative. He said that Barbra Streisand and Rupert Murdoch, neither of whom were likely to ever work together, were both donating to the cause. Snaps to President Clinton for his FtTP.
Clinton was just on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night, with repeats running today, talking about his Global Initiative. He said that Barbra Streisand and Rupert Murdoch, neither of whom were likely to ever work together, were both donating to the cause. Snaps to President Clinton for his FtTP.
Labels: barbra streisand, bill clinton, daily show, frankensteining the talent pool, FtTP, global warming, jon stewart, rupert murdoch
