On talent

How do you formulate an aim in life when you don't even know what jobs will exist in a few years, or what will be invented? You don't shoot for a specific job. You shoot for the process the job does: I want to work with the human mind, code, solve problems, fix things, etc.

What is “talent?” Well, I suppose it’s the ability to do that which is excellent (that which astounds, amazes, and so on). It’s a bit circular, really: if you can write something that astounds, that is, de facto, proof of talent. Is there a way to predict it, to diagnostically spot it early, and issue some sort of reassuring certification, that one... See more