--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to…" description: "\"“If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to sing, or to quickly comprehend and reproduce musical notation – what kind of a thing is ‘talent’? A commodity?..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/zadie-smith-584_music_if-these-are-talents-the-ability-to-sing_296104.jpg" --- # If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to sing, or to… ![“If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to sing, or to quickly comprehend and reproduce musical notation – what kind of a thing is ‘talent’? A commodity? A gift? A prize? A reward? For what?” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/zadie-smith-584_music_if-these-are-talents-the-ability-to-sing_296104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/zadie-smith-584_music_if-these-are-talents-the-ability-to-sing_296104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/zadie-smith-584_music_if-these-are-talents-the-ability-to-sing_296104.jpg) > ““If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to sing, or to quickly comprehend and reproduce musical notation – what kind of a thing is ‘talent’? A commodity? A gift? A prize? A reward? For what?”” [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent is debated as a commodity, gift, or reward, questioning its true nature and value. **In simple terms:** Talent’s nature is unclear—gift or commodity. Key Takeaway Define talent beyond external labels. Themes identity value society Mood analytical inquisitive Type essayistic philosophical When to use this quote - education - career planning - artistic pursuits Key Concepts philosophy economics Questions to Reflect On - What defines true talent for you? - How does labeling affect motivation? A Different Perspective Talent can be exploited or commercialized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-sing-614928/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Commodity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-commodity-2411453/) [Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talents/) [Talents Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talents-ability-2837671/) [Thing Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-talent-1410678/) ## Related quotes > [I was the kind of kid that had some talents or ability, but it never came out in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-was-the-kind-of-kid-that-had-some-talents-or-ability-but-it-never/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [“In a seminal 1981 paper, the economist Sherwin Rosen worked out the mathematics behind these “winner-take-all” markets. One of his key insights was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/in-a-seminal-1981-paper-the-economist-sherwin-rosen-worked-out-the/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Hearing a succession of mediocre singers does not add up to a single outstanding performance.” In other words, talent is not a commodity you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/hearing-a-succession-of-mediocre-singers-does-not-add-up-to-a-single/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [There is no such thing as talent. What they call talent is nothing but the capacity for doing continuous work in the right way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winslow-homer/there-is-no-such-thing-as-talent-what-they-call-talent-is-nothing-but/) [Winslow Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winslow-homer/) > [There's no such thing as talent; you just have to work hard enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/there-s-no-such-thing-as-talent-you-just-have-to-work-hard-enough/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [There is no such thing as talent. There is pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/there-is-no-such-thing-as-talent-there-is-pressure/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [There is no such thing as talent, only awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/there-is-no-such-thing-as-talent-only-awareness/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [It's an intangible thing, this thing we call talent, especially if we're in a position to teach and mentor others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-zweibel/it-s-an-intangible-thing-this-thing-we-call-talent-especially-if-we/) [Alan Zweibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-zweibel/) > [It's one thing to have talent. It's another to figure out how to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-miller/it-s-one-thing-to-have-talent-it-s-another-to-figure-out-how-to-use-it/) [Roger Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-miller/) > [It's my duty to upkeep and safeguard my voice, my ability to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-yesudas/it-s-my-duty-to-upkeep-and-safeguard-my-voice-my-ability-to-sing/) [K. J. Yesudas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-yesudas/) > [If you call yourself a singer, then you must have the ability to sing anything, whether it's pop, classical, rock, sufi, or folk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-kakkar/if-you-call-yourself-a-singer-then-you-must-have-the-ability-to-sing/) [Neha Kakkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-kakkar/) > [I felt I had a good ear, and I had the ability to sing like my influences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gutt/i-felt-i-had-a-good-ear-and-i-had-the-ability-to-sing-like-my/) [Jeff Gutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gutt/) > [I came from being a singer going into jazz. And that's one of the things that polio did for me is it took away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/i-came-from-being-a-singer-going-into-jazz-and-that-s-one-of-the/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [I don't fight my ability to sing sad songs: it's what I am good at, so I must be built for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/i-don-t-fight-my-ability-to-sing-sad-songs-it-s-what-i-am-good-at-so/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [One day I was at the park with my family, all my cousins and stuff, in Frankston... We were all just singing a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tones-and-i/one-day-i-was-at-the-park-with-my-family-all-my-cousins-and-stuff-in/) [Tones and I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tones-and-i/) ## More by Zadie Smith > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“Pretty girls lie at the centre of straight culture, dyke culture, fag culture. They sell everything, they buy everything, they ruin great men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/pretty-girls-lie-at-the-centre-of-straight-culture-dyke-culture-fag/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“I have known many true connoisseurs, with excellent tastes that range across the humanities and the culinary arts--and they never fail to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-have-known-many-true-connoisseurs-with-excellent-tastes-that-range/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I cannot believe homosexuality is that much fun. Heterosexuality certainly is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-cannot-believe-homosexuality-is-that-much-fun-heterosexuality/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“Either everything is sacred or nothing is. And if he starts burning other people’s things, then he loses something sacred also. Everyone gets what’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/either-everything-is-sacred-or-nothing-is-and-if-he-starts-burning/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [My feeling is, having lived in different classes, that people want equality of opportunity... that's the thing that makes me despair: the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/my-feeling-is-having-lived-in-different-classes-that-people-want/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I don't keep any copies of my books in the house - they go to my mum's flat. I don't like them around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-don-t-keep-any-copies-of-my-books-in-the-house-they-go-to-my-mum-s/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [But it makes an immigrant laugh to hear the fears of the nationalist, scared of infection, penetration, miscegenation, when this is small fry, peanuts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/but-it-makes-an-immigrant-laugh-to-hear-the-fears-of-the-nationalist/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [Oh, I know that. You know me, baby, I cannot be broken. Takes a giant to snap me in half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/oh-i-know-that-you-know-me-baby-i-cannot-be-broken-takes-a-giant-to/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“In short, it was precisely the kind of friendship and Englishman makes on holiday, that he can make only on holiday. 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We have to state sameness to understand equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-can-t-state-difference-and-also-state-equality-we-have-to-state/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“(Unlike many others around this time, Joyce felt no shame about using the term 'middle class'. In the Chalfen lexicon the middle classes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/unlike-many-others-around-this-time-joyce-felt-no-shame-about-using/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [A lot of women, when they're young, feel they have very good friends, and find later on that friendship is complicated. It's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/a-lot-of-women-when-they-re-young-feel-they-have-very-good-friends/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) [Explore all 457 Zadie Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. 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I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If these are ‘talents’ – the ability to sing, or to quickly comprehend and reproduce musical notation – what kind of a thing is ‘talent’? A commodity? A gift? A prize? A reward? 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