Of late I've been thinking about brains... well that's not exactly true. I'd rather say discussions about the wonders of our human mind have come up with some frequency in the past few days.
Simon Geare, SA's foremost weather man, has various spots on 702. He does a science feature with David O'Sullivan during the week and made mention of an interesting study where it was proven that superman-like ability to perceive and respond with brilliant split second timing to a fast moving, head-on object is completely learned rather than some sort of innate ability lurking within us. It's a fascinating thought that. Basically translated, should one practice klapping a incoming cricket ball for years and years - you will, by experience only, become very good at it.
I wasn't very good at ball sports. I found cricket and baseball very very very boring when I was standing in the outfield. It seems I was distracted, more interested in making pictures with the clouds , wondering if they were serving cookies or orange slices with the juice during the drinks break whilst humming theme tunes from Knight Rider, the A-Team and Superman to keep myself awake. I was told I had no hand-eye co-ordination and never excelled at either sport. Quite honestly I didn't worry about it too much either.
I did win the most consistent player of the year award in my last ever season of little league. Two things stuck me about that award.
The first one was that the trophy bore our family name. I was the last in a long line (six in all) of Little Leaguers to leave the club, I think it may have been a prize for all of us - just to have it standing on the upright piano one last time before we left the club forever.Simon Geare, SA's foremost weather man, has various spots on 702. He does a science feature with David O'Sullivan during the week and made mention of an interesting study where it was proven that superman-like ability to perceive and respond with brilliant split second timing to a fast moving, head-on object is completely learned rather than some sort of innate ability lurking within us. It's a fascinating thought that. Basically translated, should one practice klapping a incoming cricket ball for years and years - you will, by experience only, become very good at it.
I wasn't very good at ball sports. I found cricket and baseball very very very boring when I was standing in the outfield. It seems I was distracted, more interested in making pictures with the clouds , wondering if they were serving cookies or orange slices with the juice during the drinks break whilst humming theme tunes from Knight Rider, the A-Team and Superman to keep myself awake. I was told I had no hand-eye co-ordination and never excelled at either sport. Quite honestly I didn't worry about it too much either.
I did win the most consistent player of the year award in my last ever season of little league. Two things stuck me about that award.
The other, was they never said what kind of consistency I'd displayed. It could have been anything, from never having missed a practice, to never making an important outfield catch.
well, whatever it was - that I was just consistent.It does make me wonder though, how those scientists would explain how Superman is able to become super-duper-bullet-dodger with the rip of a shirt in a phone booth? Must have been years of practice in the corn fields of Smallville.
Ah - the great nature vs nurture debate! I studied this for my masters degree - and came to the conclusion that a.) You have to be born with talent (nature) BUT -b.) If you don't use it, you lose it (Nurture) So - both run true, you have the natural talent, but you have to practice to refine and maintain it!!
ReplyDeleteCould you have won the trophy because you were consistently rubbish?? ;-)
Interesting post Frank. I have come to the conclusion, though only after seeing my own daughter finish school, that school and how it is, does not reflect the talent that people have unless it is academic or sport. Art, culture, music, drama, etc were such 'extra bits' at school and never taken as seriously as the other. So, the point of this very long-winded comment, is that sometimes we only really find our passion and that which blows our hair back, after school when we can indulge those things that interest us, rather than studying and practising sport. Caio. Lis.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughts ladies. Shoo - and I thought this post was a little more light hearted.. hehe
ReplyDelete@Kirsty: Yup, I think I got that award for being consistently mediocre (rubbish is a stretch) - LOL
And to Lisa, yeah - I would have benefited far more from access to the arts at school for sure. I did get awards (colours) for Drama and Debating, but yearned to do art and music... Who knows, with my passion for music and a bit of training, I may have been a hot-to-trot producer by now and not a flowers farmer.
Wow, cool! If your posts are anything to go by, I can totally see how debating would suit you. What you have to say, you say well.
ReplyDeleteI think flower-farming must be awesome. I used to work on a Gardening Mag in JHB and it gave me a real appreciation for people in the business and a love for gardening. (CPT is a harder place to do that in tho!!! Too much sand!)...
But hey, is it ever too late to follow your dreams and learn something new... Caio.Lisa.
@ Lisa (Anon) - don't get me wrong for a second - I have no problem with being a flower farmer... there's 'passion' and then 'Passion!'
ReplyDeleteAnd a word on sand - Florida, USA used to have one of the biggest floriculture industries in the USA - growing the whole lot in sand! Amazing and true ;)