“Talent” What is it?

Recently we’ve heard a lot about “talent” re the RTE/Noel Kelly/Ryan Tubridy affair, and on LinkedIn this description is often seen as “we are hiring talent”. What is “talent” when it’s at home in its bed?

As a young kid, I was told I had a talent for art, to me then I just observed things and put them down as pictures on paper, no big deal to me. I learned that talent was an innate ability to do or learn something that came with a lot more difficulty to others.

As regards likes of RTE, some people in the organisation would be very talented at the artistic side of things, another would be talented at astutely keeping track of certain data, another would be top of the pack in their great ability to keep the electrics going. Others talented at presenting shows as per smoothness of delivery, personality and self-confidence.

On LinkedIn talent seems to be defined on the accumulation of acquired skills, which is the opposite to the very definition of “talent”

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/talent

Is the definition of talent changing, and how?

AllForIt

For me it's the hottest guy in the nightclub.

One eyed Jack

Is the definition of talent changing, and how?

Nah, it still means the same thing, just used in different contexts. There’s a word for it I can’t think of right now so I can’t Google the exact meaning of that word either.

Garbage language, that was it!

https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/02/garbage-language-business-speak-defense.html#:~:text=If%20you've%20spent%20much,of%20office%20language%20bingo%20cards.

I have a talent for forgetting things 😒

BlueEyeGleams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120870444#Comment_120870444

So you can buy him a cool drink right

Jim_Hodge

There are at least six definitions of Talent. It all depends on the context.

Gregor Samsa

In broadcasting and entertainment (not just RTE), "talent" is the common word used for the people who appear on-stage, on film or on-air (video or voice). This would include actors, presenters, performers, hosts, MCs, etc. It doesn't mean that such people are necessarily especially talented in any area, nor does it mean the people who work in other roles (the "crew", etc) aren't talented at their jobs. It's just an industry term.

SEPT 23 1989

The gift of a true talent comes with unfortunately the curse of self destruction

artists poets writers musicians footballers

very few suffer for their art today

that’s why everything is so magnolia

rossie1977

Dominik Mysterio is talented

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120871869#Comment_120871869

How do you know? Maybe not like in the 80s or 90s but I am sure there is some addicted to drugs or drink etc it's just hidden better now.

Or maybe it's because certainly in whatever is left of the so called Music Industry now anyway no artist lasts very long anymore. There is no real charts anymore. There is the fake online charts but no Top Of The Pops to really get out there who is number one and honestly I do not think anyone cares anymore.

As die Movies and T.V well there is still a decent Industry there and the potential for more Tom Cruises, Cillion Murphys, and, Rebecca Romjins, Margot Robbies to come true.

Count Dracula

I have been told I have an innate ability for necking oodles of scoops and talking heaps a shight at the same time.

Olé Vampiros everywhere.

Olé Dra coooool.

Strumms

talent to me is having an impactful skill or aptitude at or for something… be it sport, something artistic/musical something non sporting but physical or something that requires more intellect..

Being good at tennis is not the same as being talented at tennis.

SEPT 23 1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120872233#Comment_120872233

It peaked in the 90’s

the money men were losing control can’t have lads out of their minds making great art

so all we have now are stadiums sold out by inoffensive puppets on a string singing meaningless love songs

paradise lost

Markus Antonius

Talent is the abililty to get really high up in a company without having any discernable talents

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120872624#Comment_120872624

Where I worked it was said they were the ones who knew where the bodies were buried.

Where I worked (local authority ) the seriously talented people rarely rose beyond grade 4 in the ranks, or if they rise beyond they were firmly out in their place never to rise being again because they were very useful, especially in very useful IT specialised roles, the area of which was beyond the comprehension of most beyond lower grades. But the minions with good skills still had to be the dogsbodies at all else. Bullying was at a horrible level, by those jealous of people more genuinely gifted in relevant areas. I have a friend from higher level who was thrown to the dogs for being astute and relevant.

Old dudes complaining that there’s no good music being made anymore is a sure sign they are “past it”. Then they’ll give you some awful pompous Dad Rock like Led Zeppelin as an example of “proper music”.

sinjin_smythe

In the words of Elvis Presley

"Talent is being able to sell what you're feeling."

Brid Hegarty

I suppose the reason HR choose to wield the word talent so much is that it's their way of saying to the companies - that they're putting forward interviewees for - that these candidates are more than just qualified (the part that goes without saying anyway)... that you can trust in our recruitment company to also make sure they're naturally gifted. A 'talent acquisition specialist' will sound better than a 'qualified-person acquisition specialist'. Obviously most recruitment companies haven't a clue how to spot talent. I've had some of them ring me up saying that I'm wanted at apple because they see the word 'technician', even though it's biochem I'm quailified in.

Cordell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120877513#Comment_120877513

That's actually grandad rock (the people who attended their concerts are either grandparents or dead), and indeed it's proper music. How do we know it's proper music? We're discussing about them 50 years past their prime. And there is nothing pompous about them, especially considering how and why they disbanded.

BlueEyeGleams

I am a talent spotter like most Irish judges I don’t have an ear

niallpatrick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jxYj3KU0wE

iniscealtra

I think some people find things easier than others but talent needs to be cultivated and worked on for it to be developed. Someone might have a good éar for music but if they don’t apply themselves and learn to master an instrument their talent will go undeveloped for example. It’s the same for art. Skills need to be developed through practice and learning in my opinion. You often hear of kids who had a talent with x or y yet did nothing with it. Application is always needed. Talent is when it comes easier to one person than others maybe.

Montage of Feck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120877513#Comment_120877513

It's not that music has got worse but definitely more niche now. Finding decent new music is now more time consuming.

BlueEyeGleams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120881862#Comment_120881862

I think it’s best leave it to the kids at this stage, if it was more on their conscience it’d be bumped to the totp and adults have long since left the building. Probs best eh Jimmy but with the trend now objects instrumental would be like a form of corporal punishment, get up there in front of the class hold that out there in front of you watch em flush in embarrassment with the strain

You’d effectively have to overburden them now like it was schoolbooks on their back, keep em occupied lest they start skippin around making up rhymes . should never be a chore but when it becomes that and it’s reduced to simply free expression it only seems to become perverts on parade and hijacked under false pretence as a vehicle, a la gcrime and hiring a couple of jobbing musicians to attempt give it credence on the live circuit won’t cut it. So what happens, it becomes more of an Academics thing pardon the pun and it’s not cool and it’s not too exciting. And as it’s not street, they’ll want even less to do with it

Wanderer78

in the modern era, a very entitled person, who demands their demands to be met, even if it fcuks many over, otherwise known as a narcissist! plenty of 'the talent' around, especially in our public services, hse etc.....