Are interests and talents genetic?

[Grumpy Cat]

I had an interesting discussion with my mother this morning. She's been doing some genaeology work and found the obituary of my great-great grandfather who lived in Quebec. It talked about how he had a thing for technical gadgets, engines, and how he used to build and fix radios and things like that. She said he reminded her of me, because ever since I was young I was playing with computers, and I can build one in my sleep. I've also taken apart my PS3 and tweaked it, several cell phones, stereos, and things like that. I can also do basic maintenance on my own car, the engine and the stereo system.

She's still trying to figure out where I got my artistic abilties from, though, because she said as far as she knows, nobody on either side of the family can even draw a straight line.

[Persie]

I think it's probably a mixture of nature and nurture. As I understand it, more technical, logical skills derive from left-brain dominance and more artistic, creative skills derive from right-brain dominance. I can certainly imagine these traits being heritable. I don't think a predisposition translates into a talent though unless one's parents recognize and nurture it.

[Grumpy Cat]

I think it's probably a mixture of nature and nurture. As I understand it, more technical, logical skills derive from left-brain dominance and more artistic, creative skills derive from right-brain dominance. I can certainly imagine these traits being heritable. I don't think a predisposition translates into a talent though unless one's parents recognize and nurture it.

Well, my parents certainly didn't like me tinkering with electronic things they paid a lot of money for lol, so it certainly wasn't nurtured. Also, my mother did NOT want me to pursue a career in Information Technology.

But with my drawing, yes, because my parents thought I had a God-given talent and put me in classes at a very young age. Same with my teachers at school, one teacher was so impressed by my doodling in class (but still had to give me detention for it), that she got the school to send me to a week-long camp for gifted artists. Unfortunately, that had the opposite effect, because I thought the other people there were much better than me and I lost confidence.

[Arne]

I don´t believe in that .
My Grandparents were both agricultural and i don´t think something important derived from them.
Yes, maybe this Opinion is gradually biased.

[Peerkons]

My grandfather used to make photos (as he has plenty of albums) and do bike racing.
I also enjoy these hobbies alot.

[Grumpy Cat]

One reason my other talents, though, were not encouraged is because I am a girl, and my family thought those were "guy things". But it's proven useful while I am still single and live alone, I am pretty handy and can do work around the house, that most single women would have to call a professional and pay a lot of money for. Of course, when I get married, my husband's gonna do all that stuff, or at least the more dirty of such tasks. :D For example, I have fixed my own toilet but I certainly didn't enjoy doing it. :lol:

Of course, my mother doesn't mind now that I went against the family's wishes and pursued a "man's job" because...

5sVUvpdT-NY

She gets good gifts from me. :D

[Persie]

I watched a documentary by Vanessa Mae once where she investigated whether her musical talent was natural or nurtured. I think they concluded she had the "perfect pitch" gene but it was her intensive musical tuition that had actually rewired her brain to be musically adept.

[Comte Arnau]

This topic appeared recently in a conversation I had with some relatives of mine, although in a joking way. We couldn't be more different in many aspects, but it looks as if all of us, in one way or another, excel above average in creative/expressive arts, whether drawing/painting, writing, music or dance, even when our professions may have nothing to do with it. Many of us are good at languages too, but here there are also some clear exceptions.

I personally don't think a talent is inherited. But maybe the potentiality is, and all you need is the access to the context that allows to develop it. A bit like what makes you famous world-wide, which is often mainly due to doing the right thing at the right moment in the right place.

[Bloodeagle]

I don´t believe in that .
My Grandparents were both agricultural and i don´t think something important derived from them.
Yes, maybe this Opinion is gradually biased.

Yet you have a very nice garden and are involved with plants in a way that is not normal to the average person, no?

[Arne]

Yet you have a very nice garden and are involved with plants in a way that is not normal to the average person, no?

i really believe it must be usual. :confused:

[Nglund]

Probably, my great-uncle drew the Lancaster's tail when he served as a military scientist in WWII. I must've inherited his skills...obviously! ;)

[Bloodeagle]

i really believe it must be usual. :confused:
To me, usual is knowing the latest football stats and does not concern knowing the consistency of your garden humus or the nitrogen deficiency in your Hibiscus. :D

[Arne]

To me, usual is knowing the latest football stats and does not concern knowing the consistency of your garden humus or the nitrogen deficiency in your Hibiscus. :D

I mean "Soccer is good and nice" but not in a Garden.
It is pretty damaging to the flowers.
Most People don´t really care about the Ecosystem.

[Germanicus]

My late father and i have worked in metal fabrication of some kind all of our adult lives, he had a passion for making things, he could turn his hand to constructing anything, with wood he had no master.

It seems i have the same passion for this artistic speciality too, i can make almost anything without the need for drawings or detailed instruction.

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/009-16.jpg


http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/029-3.jpg


http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/004-12.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/007-12.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/005-17.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/010-10.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/051.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/056.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/003-10.jpg

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n449/ruffusruffcut/003-9.jpg

[Mopi Licinius Crassus]

I had an interesting discussion with my mother this morning. She's been doing some genaeology work and found the obituary of my great-great grandfather who lived in Quebec. It talked about how he had a thing for technical gadgets, engines, and how he used to build and fix radios and things like that. She said he reminded her of me, because ever since I was young I was playing with computers, and I can build one in my sleep. I've also taken apart my PS3 and tweaked it, several cell phones, stereos, and things like that. I can also do basic maintenance on my own car, the engine and the stereo system.

She's still trying to figure out where I got my artistic abilties from, though, because she said as far as she knows, nobody on either side of the family can even draw a straight line.

grumps giri...hi :cool: