Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Ability

Ability, n. That rare quality of mind to which monuments are erected by posterity above the bones of paupers.
2. The natural equipment to accomplish some small part of the meaner ambitions distinguishing able men from dead ones. In the last analysis ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity. Perhaps, however, this impressive quality is rightly appraised; it is no easy task to be solemn.

2006 Update: The virtue behind accomplishment such as charisma in a leader or blindness in a follower.

27 comments:

Ariel the Thief said...

Doug, your definitoon brings this quote I have no idea where is from to my mind, "I have to follow them, I am their leader." anyways, you are right, what is an ability depends on the task to complete.

Sar said...

Ability:

1. Having the skill and training necessary to make delicious Schwartz's chocolate covered marshmallows (especially the coffee flavored ones) or alternatively dial the phone to order some.

2. Playing musical instruments underwater or alternatively coming up with a caption describing such a scene in my photo caption contest today.

3. Making shameless plugs on Waking Ambrose.

TLP said...

What is ability but the capacity to confront intolerable tasks with equanimity?

Someone must have said that. Don't look at me.

Indeterminacy said...

Ability: The next best thing to cheating.

Anonymous said...

abilty: something I seem to be sadly lacking in

Neither a leader nor follower--love your definition

Doug The Una said...

Ariel, that's a really good quote. I'd like to know where it's from.

Bless you, Sar. Plug away.

TLP, take some credit with equanimity.

Indie, I think good PR is somewhere in the middle there.

Pia, I dissent!

Mikki Marshall said...

Ability (n) possession of inherent qualities which enable an individual to succeed

see nepotism

Tom & Icy said...

When you do something and wonder how you did it

Anonymous said...

Ability: that which one does not recognize as having until it is lost.

Anonymous said...

The capacity to falsely convince yourself, and sometimes even others, that you are right.
Aptitude Exaggerated

Cooper said...

example: "Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper." ...


I got nothing but class. ;) The kind I have to walk to.

Doug The Una said...

Still Life, I laughed out loud at that one. Wanna guess how I got my job?

I hear you, Icy. Like getting 9 out of 10 questions right on Ariella's trivia quiz while knowing 2 of the answers.

PWC, or the capacity to make a blogger happy by just showing up.

Anonymous, it's awfully emblematic that two people from the same field chose the word "capacity."

And the walk itself, I'm sure, Alice.

Minka said...

Doug, Ariel´s quote is from a guy called Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin.
"Let me pass, I have to follow them, I am their leader."

he also said: "there go my people, I must find out where they are going so I can lead them."

ability, n. we all are able, some of us, however, lack opportunities.

Em said...

Ability: something to be taken for granted till it's taken away, then it's something to be lamented and bitched about in your old age as you're sitting in a rocking chair on a wooden wrap-around porch, shot-gun in one hand, and a fine sticky glass of brandy in the other (cackling/mad hattering optional).

:P

Omnipotent Poobah said...

ability - That thing of which I have stunningly little of.

Jamie Dawn said...

Ability is a cruel thing. Some really do have it, while others just think they do. I have the ability to point out the difference.

Sreekesh Menon said...

A trained instinct.

Anonymous said...

I don't have the ability to come up with anything. Sigh.

~Daydreamer~ said...

Ability: What you have enough to believe in yourself. Or others.

Also ability: When you're with someone who is good for nothing and you're still with him. That's ability. LOL. Or stupidity?

Also, Doug keeping this blog ;) What an ability!

Unknown said...

the opposite of disability

Doug The Una said...

Monika, well done! Now that's leadership.

Em, Brandy is a great substitute for ability. Pretty fair cure, too.

Poobah, I beg to differ.

Jamie Dawn, and the ability to bend the serenity prayer to your ends is no mean capability either.

Sreekesh, that almost sounds like Steven Covey.

Close enough, Jenna.

Marwa, I think its charity. Or stupidity. A virtue either way.

Thanks, Actonbell. That Oscar

Actually, Karma the term around here is different ability or something.

Not hardly, a4g. The log, maybe.

ninjapoodles said...

Doug, please visit my page. I have tagged you, but for a meme I made up that I think you'll enjoy. That does not mean you need feel any obligation to DO it, just that you're qualified. ;-)

ninjapoodles said...

I meant to say, to demonstrate your ABILITY.

Doug The Una said...

Thanks for thinking of me, Belinda. I'll try to get something up on Doug Drones On later today.

dddragon said...

Ability: that which I do not have to work with Blogger, apparently. aargh

Em said...

heheh I love that Oscar Wilde quote.

Anonymous said...

Hey Karma, I was going to say that ability plays Cinderella to the challenged and special abilities among us.