Hmmm. Okay. I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, though. Are you trying to say that you think this ability is unique but not interesting or that it is interesting but not unique (I would say it is nice to have but not unique)? Is there a reason you have a particular interest in this ability, one way or another, or are you making a comment on the phrasing of the sentence? I looked at the articles you linked to, but the meaning of your comment is still unclear to me. Perhaps I am missing something obvious.
I am trying to say that the ability to play music in one’s head without the presence of a musician or radio, etc. is a superpower, a form of mundane magic.
Granted that it is an awesome ability, how can we explain referring to this super power as “no special ability”? By noting common biases! People might think less of their musical superpower if they compare it to greater superpowers, such as the ability to freeze time, or the ability to compose music. Once one asks “how good is this superpower?”, one might forget it’s a superpower if the answer is “not comparatively good”.
I see now. Thanks for the clarification (and upvoted because of it). The phrasing I used does seem to imply that I don’t think that it is a special talent, although that was not my intent. I actually meant that I can play music in my mind but not on an instrument, nor can I write music (I can compose short melodies in my head, however). I do greatly enjoy being able to listen to songs I know by playing them in my head. Playing them on an mp3 player is a bit higher fidelity, but requires charged batteries, so my ability does come in handy.
Probably a more accurate thing to say would have been that I can hear or compose music in my head, but I do not have the ability to play an instrument, sing, or write music (at least not currently well enough that I would be able to pass any kind of music test whatsoever). I tend to be fairly happy with what I have, actually. While I do compare what I have to what other people have, I am rarely dismayed by the comparison. One reason for this is that other people often have rather different utility functions than I do, so I tend to not be trying to maximize what they are.
I agree that it is highly useful to appreciate what you have. Especially since that will help you enjoy life and solve problems better than the things you don’t have.
Oh?
One classic evil genie move is when someone wishes to be the best at something, it makes everyone but the wisher incompetent at it.
That illustrates a sense in which unique special isn’t as special as we feel it is, unlike awesome special.
Hmmm. Okay. I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, though. Are you trying to say that you think this ability is unique but not interesting or that it is interesting but not unique (I would say it is nice to have but not unique)? Is there a reason you have a particular interest in this ability, one way or another, or are you making a comment on the phrasing of the sentence? I looked at the articles you linked to, but the meaning of your comment is still unclear to me. Perhaps I am missing something obvious.
I am trying to say that the ability to play music in one’s head without the presence of a musician or radio, etc. is a superpower, a form of mundane magic.
Granted that it is an awesome ability, how can we explain referring to this super power as “no special ability”? By noting common biases! People might think less of their musical superpower if they compare it to greater superpowers, such as the ability to freeze time, or the ability to compose music. Once one asks “how good is this superpower?”, one might forget it’s a superpower if the answer is “not comparatively good”.
I see now. Thanks for the clarification (and upvoted because of it). The phrasing I used does seem to imply that I don’t think that it is a special talent, although that was not my intent. I actually meant that I can play music in my mind but not on an instrument, nor can I write music (I can compose short melodies in my head, however). I do greatly enjoy being able to listen to songs I know by playing them in my head. Playing them on an mp3 player is a bit higher fidelity, but requires charged batteries, so my ability does come in handy.
Probably a more accurate thing to say would have been that I can hear or compose music in my head, but I do not have the ability to play an instrument, sing, or write music (at least not currently well enough that I would be able to pass any kind of music test whatsoever). I tend to be fairly happy with what I have, actually. While I do compare what I have to what other people have, I am rarely dismayed by the comparison. One reason for this is that other people often have rather different utility functions than I do, so I tend to not be trying to maximize what they are.
I agree that it is highly useful to appreciate what you have. Especially since that will help you enjoy life and solve problems better than the things you don’t have.