RE: What are your overall opinions on people who are idiots in math?
October 18, 2022 at 11:30 am
There is a talent for math and a talent for art. But what many people miss in those generalities is that to be really good at either takes effort. A friend of mine had played guitar since he was 17. He eventually became frustrated and quit. He fell under the notion that he just didn't have the talent.
What he didn't have was the desire to practice. He only wanted to play. He had a romantic notion that musician's like Glen Campbell (my friend and I are from the same place as Glen) are gifted from birth and can play without lessons and practice. There are myths about Glen that ignore the fact that, from age 5, all he did was play guitar and learn from his uncle. So while no one can play like Glen without talented hands and ears, if they don't put in the time to develop it, talent doesn't matter.
Same with math.
What he didn't have was the desire to practice. He only wanted to play. He had a romantic notion that musician's like Glen Campbell (my friend and I are from the same place as Glen) are gifted from birth and can play without lessons and practice. There are myths about Glen that ignore the fact that, from age 5, all he did was play guitar and learn from his uncle. So while no one can play like Glen without talented hands and ears, if they don't put in the time to develop it, talent doesn't matter.
Same with math.
