Human Capabilities

[perprocrastinate]

Are humans more capable than they think they actually are? Are we just too scared to take something to the next level?

Sorry for the ambiguity, but I can't really find anything in my mind right now to elaborate with.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Are humans more capable than they think they actually are?

Probably.

I mean, if I told you to learn the Rach 3 in a week, you would probably say that you couldn't do it.

But if I held a gun to your face, you would probably say you could do it no problem.




When you're in survival mode, it's like you gain superpowers.  I remember I was watching the news some time ago and this guy crashed a helicopter in a pond right?  And his friend went freaking super saiyan mode and lifted the helicopter to get his buddy out!  What the heck?!

[outin]

Are humans more capable than they think they actually are? Are we just too scared to take something to the next level?

Unfortunately not always. Some humans are much less capable than they think they are 

[faulty_damper]

Dunning-Kreuger Effect?

[perprocrastinate]

Damn. I didn't think that there was a name for this thing. Plus there seems to be multiple threads about this on this forum already.

Silly me.

[faulty_damper]

Dunning-Kreuger as applied to this topic:

Those who have not developed true skills from their abilities believe they are more skillful than they actually are.
Those who have developed true skills from their abilities believe they are less skillful than they actually are.

More people have undeveloped abilities than those who have true skills.  As a result, most people think they are more capable than they actually are while the truly capable don't think so.

[Bob]

I think people have infinite capability.

[outin]

Those who have not developed true skills from their abilities believe they are more skillful than they actually are.
Those who have developed true skills from their abilities believe they are less skillful than they actually are.

What about those who have not developed true skills from their non-existent abilities and are painly aware of it? 

[lloyd_cdb]

What about those who have not developed true skills from their non-existent abilities and are painly aware of it? 

Thanks for triggering my depression again.  My therapist and I have been working on this for half my life. /sigh

[outin]

Thanks for triggering my depression again.  My therapist and I have been working on this for half my life. /sigh

We should have a group session...

[faulty_damper]

What about those who have not developed true skills from their non-existent abilities and are painly aware of it? 

You cannot have skillz without first having ability.

Ability < Skill < Mastery

All humans have the potential to turn normal abilities into skills which can be refined to mastery.  However, very few people bother to put effort and practice into developing skills.  This is mostly because of the belief that talent is innate - you are born talented or not.  This is the greatest fallacy that stifles our education and ultimately our capabilities.

Furthermore, most people don't know what practice is or how to practice.  It's not simply repeating something with the end goal in mind.  It's strategic repetition where beginning, middle, and end are all emphasized.  In particular is the middle, which is the most important because it occupies the greatest amount of time, which also happens to be the part most neglected.  As a result of lack of practice skills, failure is the result which confirms most peoples fears that they are not talented.  This is confirmation bias.

But, even if skills are developed, fewer people will bother to put effort and practice into developing mastery.  Good enough is considered 'good enough'.  For example, most people can write but only very few write well.  Similarly, most people here play the piano but only few of us play very well.  And even fewer achieve the status of 'musician' instead of just 'pianist'.

Most people can not distinguish between skill and mastery unless they see clear examples.

[Derek]

Most people can not distinguish between skill and mastery unless they see clear examples.

Sometimes, perhaps even often, not even this is enough. I think an awful lot of people actually on some level refuse to see skill or mastery. They fail to acknowledge it is even there. It's a pretty complex issue...where people can be aware in a verbal or cursory manner what hard work or skill is, and pay lip service to it and go "yeah yeah I get it I need to work hard." But to internalize the hard reality---of anything...whether it be piano playing, programming, sticking with a time consuming project through to completion (examples I am familiar with)---is another thing entirely. For me, internalizing and fully accepting and understanding the truth of gaining a skill, or completing a tough project, or choosing to let go of some goal because I finally understood how hard it is---has been quite difficult. In my opinion---it may be due to having had a far too easy childhood. Maybe too many people have ridiculously easy childhoods anymore---with everything provided for them to the point where they do not need to use their imagination, their mind, etc. etc. at all until it is too late. Thank God I had parents who taught me enough introspection to take the long road towards learning the truth about myself, because I finally have found the truth in so many ways. But it was really hard. I fear for the world.

[outin]

You cannot have skillz without first having ability.


All humans have the potential to turn normal abilities into skills which can be refined to mastery.  However, very few people bother to put effort and practice into developing skills.  This is mostly because of the belief that talent is innate - you are born talented or not.  This is the greatest fallacy that stifles our education and ultimately our capabilities.

All humans don't have the same abilities. I guess by normal you would mean average. There are always those who have much less and those who have more than enough. This is what talent is about, it's just not a good word. The hard part is to accept your limitations and be able to work hard to improve even though you already understand that hard work cannot compensate for all the limitations.

[faulty_damper]

“Neglect of mathematics works injury to all knowledge, since one who is ignorant of it cannot know the other sciences, or the things of this world. And what is worst, those who are thus ignorant are unable to perceive their own ignorance, and so do not seek a remedy.” — Roger Bacon

I was reading an article and it was prefaced with the above quote.  I thought it was relevant to this thread.  It's directly related to Dunning and Kreuger's work.  It's also something that anyone who takes the time and effort to think of such things would come to the same conclusion.

This reminds me of an occurrence:
I was walking across the room to talk to the teacher of a 6th grade class and I overheard a boy telling another student, "I'm really smart."  I reflexively replied, "No your not."  The teacher heard this and laughed at the bluntness.


https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cocktail-party-physics/2012/11/07/why-math-is-like-the-honey-badger-nate-silver-ascendant/