Being good at stuff

[Rain Man]

Would you rather

a) be really, really good at one thing with an immense natural talent (top 0.001 percent), but below average in everything else

or

b) be in the top 5 percent of almost everything, but not in the top 1 percent of anything?

If you pick Option a, what would your desired skill be?


Poll forthcoming. But then you probably already knew that.

[cosmo20002]

nb4

[TimBone]

Top 5 percent is still pretty damned good. I'll take that.

[tooge]

You left out my option. Being pretty much badass at most things and just good at the rest :)

[The Franchise]

Top 5 percent in EVERYTHING? Yeah....I'm going with that option.

[ThaVirus]

Without thinking, I'd take option A and it'd be basketball.

The job is cushy, you get tons of media exposure, exercise for work, guaranteed contracts, etc.

But being top 0.01 percent at basketball would technically require you to be good at several things.

Is being good at basketball an acceptable answer given the parameters?

[pr_capone]

B... hands down and without any question.

Being a top 95% of anything will likely earn you notoriety and wealth. You would *almost* be Tony Stark.

[eDave]

I am 100% option B. Has served me well.

However, it has kept me from what I really want to do.

[The Franchise]

Without thinking, I'd take option A and it'd be basketball.

The job is cushy, you get tons of media exposure, exercise for work, guaranteed contracts, etc.

But being top 0.01 percent at basketball would technically be several things.

Is being good at basketball an acceptable answer given the parameters?

So you're in the top 1% in basketball....but below average in everything else. Social skills? Below average. Managing your money? Below average. Meeting women? Below average.

[Mr. Laz]

elite at one thing, not even close


you might be able to make a living or something being elite/great

being good at everything just makes you a good party guest

[cosmo20002]

Top 5% at everything is still pretty darn good. That's probably the way to go.

If I did pick A, I'd pick hitting major league pitching.

[mr. tegu]

B... hands down and without any question.

Being a top 95% of anything will likely earn you notoriety and wealth. You would *almost* be Tony Stark.

Being in the top 95% is not too impressive. You should set higher goals.

[Rain Man]

Without thinking, I'd take option A and it'd be basketball.

The job is cushy, you get tons of media exposure, exercise for work, guaranteed contracts, etc.

But being top 0.01 percent at basketball would technically require you to be good at several things.

Is being good at basketball an acceptable answer given the parameters?

I would count basketball as one "thing" for these purposes.

Also, for clarification I did a not-quick-enough edit to .001 percent, which would put you as the top person in any group of 100,000.

Is that enough to get into the NBA? How many players are there?

[Mr. Laz]

after reading closer, being 5% in the world IS being great at something


poll is flawed


Fail

[ThaVirus]

So you're in the top 1% in basketball....but below average in everything else. Social skills? Below average. Managing your money? Below average. Meeting women? Below average.


I hadn't thought of it in that aspect. I was assuming Id pretty much stay the same but looked at "stuff" as more of unique talents, like sports, singing, playing instruments, etc.

If what you say is the case, I'd go with option B for sure.

[stumppy]

You left out my option. Being pretty much badass at most things and just good at the rest :)

Thats what I was thinking. It seems someone around here is not an 'Elite' poll maker.

[pr_capone]

Being in top 95% is not too impressive. You should set higher goals.

Top 95 at EVERYTHING... all day long.

Are you top 95 in twenty things? Ten?

[mr. tegu]

At first glance I would think option A since that would all but guarantee I am incredibly rich. But the more I think about it, if I am in the top 5% of almost everything, I would hope I could figure out a way to make a bunch of money with my skills.

[ThaVirus]

I would count basketball as one "thing" for these purposes.



Also, for clarification I did a not-quick-enough edit to .001 percent, which would put you as the top person in any group of 100,000.



Is that enough to get into the NBA? How many players are there?


Maybe not, although I'd certainly have astronomically higher odds of sticking in the league being in the 99.9 percentile as opposed to the 95th.

[cosmo20002]

after reading closer, being 5% in the world IS being great at something


poll is flawed


Fail

Rain Man doesn't do flawed polls.
Except that movie scene tourney. That had some very questionable things going on.

[pr_capone]

you can't change the poll questions after people have already commented!

where is your professional integrity, sir???

NEW THREAD!!!

[ThaVirus]

But to clarify, what, exactly, does "stuff" entail?

Is Pestilence on to something in saying that I'd be below average in literally every other aspect of my life (intelligence, social skills, height, etc) or are we just labeling "stuff" as miscellaneous talents like sports, music, math, marathon running, etc?

[Mr. Laz]

after reading closer, being 5% in the world IS being great at something

poll is flawed

Failyou can't change the poll questions after people have already commented!

where is your professional integrity, sir???

NEW THREAD!!!
now Poll is flawed and fraudulent



CPolice!!!!!!!!

[mr. tegu]

Top 95 at EVERYTHING... all day long.

Are you top 95 in twenty things? Ten?

Is it better to be in the top 95% or the top 5%? The answer to that question should clear things up.

[ThaVirus]

Like, I wouldn't mind being below average at pole vaulting and playing the flute if it meant I could be one of the very best at playing basketball..

[Kman34]

Would you rather

a) be really, really good at one thing with an immense natural talent (top 0.001 percent), but below average in everything else

or

b) be in the top 5 percent of almost everything, but not in the top 1 percent of anything?

If you pick Option a, what would your desired skill be?


Poll forthcoming. But then you probably already knew that.

If I picked "A".... I think "Sex Machine" would be a good choice

[Rain Man]

But to clarify, what, exactly, does "stuff" entail?

Is Pestilence on to something in saying that I'd be below average in literally every other aspect of my life (intelligence, social skills, height, etc) or are we just labeling "stuff" as miscellaneous talents like sports, music, math, marathon running, etc?

I think it's everything in this context.

You're a person who can play the violin like a virtuoso, but you're below average in looks, intelligence, weightlifting, ability to distinguish Dr. Pepper from Pibb Extra, and so on.

However, "below average" doesn't necessarily mean terrible. 49 percent of the population is below average and still gets along quite well.

[Rain Man]

If I picked "A".... I think "Sex Machine" would be a good choice

It's not all it's cracked up to be, but it's nice.

[Mr. Laz]

being top 1% in computer skills would be apropos during this point of human development

imagine if you could program/hack/build/fix virtually anything computer related at an amazing world class level

computer savant

[Rain Man]

Thats what I was thinking. It seems someone around here is not an 'Elite' poll maker.

I like to think that I'm in the top 95 percent. Mr. Tegu will back me up on that.

[keg in kc]

I'm 95th percentile in slacking. But that's about it.

[ThaVirus]

I think it's everything in this context.



You're a person who can play the violin like a virtuoso, but you're below average in looks, intelligence, weightlifting, ability to distinguish Dr. Pepper from Pibb Extra, and so on.



However, "below average" doesn't necessarily mean terrible. 49 percent of the population is below average and still gets along quite well.


This is a game changer.

I'd be in the top 5% of everything.

If I'm more intelligent and skilled than 95% of the population Id have to believe I could finagle a decent wage out of it. Everything else would just be icing on the cake.

[Katipan]

being top 1% in computer skills would be apropos during this point of human development

imagine if you could program/hack/build/fix virtually anything computer related at an amazing world class level

computer savant

I think of what below average communication skills look like.

Build great computers, have a tiny penis, be unable to hold meaningful conversations, and lose most things you attempt.

But helluva computer. Lots of money. And thats cool I guess.

[Rain Man]

The genesis of my question is that I suspect that being in the top 0.001 percent is a guaranteed good career if your skill is marketable at all. Whether it's flying an airplane or doing math or playing a trumpet, I bet you could earn a living. However, as I think about it, it still may not be enough in some cases to to be world class. If there are roughly 400 NBA players, you almost have to be 1 in a million to make an NBA roster. That's rarified air. So maybe you wont' get uber-rich depending on what the skill is, but you'll succeed in that field, most likely. And on the bottom end I'll assume that you're functional but unspectacular, which is true for most people in most things.

Being in the top 5 percent but not the top 1 percent guarantees that you'll be good at a lot of stuff, but never elite. You'll routinely run into someone better than you at anything, but you'll still be in the top tier in your everyday life and I would think you would be in demand. Plus, you'll have more flexibility to do different things, which I would think could lead to more happiness. But at the same time, you'll seldom seize the brass ring at the end of the day.

[Bugeater]

"A" being something that will make me wealthy, everything else can be rented

[DaneMcCloud]

C. Both

[keg in kc]

I think of what below average communication skills look like.

Build great computers, have a tiny penis, be unable to hold meaningful conversations, and lose most things you attempt.Well shit. You just described me. Except for the great computers part.

[Katipan]

Well shit. You just described me. Except for the great computers part.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Take them off and stay awhile.

[keg in kc]

Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Take them off and stay awhile.The computer I built's only pretty good. It's not quite great.

[Mr. Laz]

I think of what below average communication skills look like.

Build great computers, have a tiny penis, be unable to hold meaningful conversations, and lose most things you attempt.

But helluva computer. Lots of money. And thats cool I guess.
poll is flawed

He didn't say you would be an imbecile and suck everything but that single skill

He said below average


btw who told you about my penis :( :cuss:

[The Franchise]

I think the real question is:

A. Top .001 percent in one thing and below average in everything else.
B. Top 25% percent in everything but excelling at nothing.

[Pepe Silvia]

Neither.

[Mr. Laz]

I think the real question is:

A. Top .001 percent in one thing and below average in everything else.
B. Top 25% percent in everything but excelling at nothing.
now you are getting closer to a real decision and quality Poll


How much would you be willing to sacrifice to be in the absolute best in a certain skill?

[keg in kc]

How much would you be willing to sacrifice to be in the absolute best in a certain skill?That's probably a more revelatory question than you realized when you posed it.

ie that level of skill has to be a product of sacrifice, among other things, and I would imagine that many of us aren't skilled to that level because we've never made such sacrifices.

[scho63]

SPECIALISTS make far more money and have a greater life of opportunities then a GENERALIST!

[Discuss Thrower]

You know the saying:

Jack of all trades, master of being none.


AKA Donger's family's motto.

[Mr. Laz]

That's probably a more revelatory question than you realized when you posed it.

ie that level of skill has to be a product of sacrifice, among other things, and I would imagine that many of us aren't skilled to that level because we've never made such sacrifices.

true but a lot of people don't make the sacrifice because they are too pessimistic to believe they could be great

This question removes that insecurity and doubt.

Would you give up your body for more brains?

http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8434560.ece/alternates/w460/v2pg22-selling%20out-pa.jpg

Would you give up all your looks to be the best QB in the world?

http://wac.9ebf.edgecastcdn.net/809EBF/ec-origin.boston.barstoolsports.com/files/2013/01/2f8dbe045b8579bf81e2a08090d925cc-denver-broncos-manning-face-480x320.jpg

:fire:

[Coochie liquor]

Well rounded is my pick. If I'm really good at something, then that something becomes outlawed, or obsolete I want other skills to fall back on.

[Rain Man]

Neither.


Should I offer congratulations, or did you fail in this goal?

[Rain Man]

That's probably a more revelatory question than you realized when you posed it.

ie that level of skill has to be a product of sacrifice, among other things, and I would imagine that many of us aren't skilled to that level because we've never made such sacrifices.

Good point. Maybe the only way to get to the .001 level is to have natural talent and then leverage it to the hilt. How many of us are willing to hold the throttle down for so long on one skill area?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Would you rather

a) be really, really good at one thing with an immense natural talent (top 0.001 percent), but below average in everything else

or

b) be in the top 5 percent of almost everything, but not in the top 1 percent of anything?

If you pick Option a, what would your desired skill be?


Poll forthcoming. But then you probably already knew that.

Even being in the top .001 percent of basketball players would make you only a borderline NBA player. You'd be a good NFL player and an average baseball player best. There are about 74 million people in the US aged 18-34. Of those, half are male, 37 million. 37 million times .00001 is 370.

There are 750 active professional baseball players, 1600 football players, and 360 in the NBA.