Ego

I have begun noticing that in almost every endeavor, people that perform a certain task or skill in a very professional or excellent manner, are the first to tell you or demonstrate how good they are. The worst are sportsmen, especially football players, who cannot accept graciously and professionally the recognition from their fans, but have to thump their own chests like a gorilla as if to say, "look how great I am".

This is terrible form, in my view.

I also had the opportunity to go and see Bella Fleck and the Flecktones the other night. That concert was not about the music but was about those guys showing how well and fast they could play their instruments. I have listened to Bella and his various transformations during his career and he is a wonderful musician, he has nothing else to prove to demonstrate his skill on the banjo.

The Zen of the game and the music is lost to the individual performance and the performer.

There is something sick about this and I do not think we should support it. It is arrogant, it demeans the sport or the music/play/enterprise which should get most of the adoration...Along with the star which has been lucky enough to have or develop the skill that has allowed him to participate.

A little humility and humbleness could go along way toward uniting people rather than isolating and raising the stars up on a self proclaimed pedestal.