‘That’ Person

[Gyakuto]

I think it's important not to think of yourself as something other than "these people".

I am ‘that’ person when it comes to say dancing, office administration, athletics; I’m useless at them. You are also ‘that’ person in many fields.

For example you appear to be into Japanese swords.

Just a little bit, really. I don’t lick them or touch them inappropriately or anything.

Can you provide some examples of your expertise in Japanese swords?

No - I am far from an expert. The only objective measures of anything are probably examination/grading/Olympic gold medals (the others don’t count -they for the first and second losers) results administered by a well-organised governing body. This is why we have degrees, masters and Ph.Ds, City & Guilds in plumbing (I’d love to be a plumber), building, plastering etc. I know not of such a structure for learning about swords (unfortunately)

Subjectively, one can usually spot expertise in a performance; you can spot an accomplished acting performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford -upon-Avon (my old haunt) over a poor one in the ‘Pirates of Penzance’ at Holmfirth Village Hall. You can look at a good and poor dancing performance without being able to specify beyond the very basics, why one is good and why one is bad. It is not logical, but it is often true.

 

[Badhabits]

I can't count how many times I heard my father say that the people with little natural talent benefit the most from training if they stick with it.