Sprezzatura • Hacker News Board

Re: Sprezzatura

#21

Post by gtufano » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 11:10 AM UTC

vibhavs wrote: post #3

That's a great word. It's really fascinating how certain words need a sentence-long definition when translated from other languages to English. So much is captured in one word! And that's an incredible TED talk. I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it that they watch it when they have a chance. The best part in my opinion: "That's not what my creative process is - I'm not the pipeline! I'm a mule, and the way that I…

A great word. In English. It is somewhat interesting that it is a word from XVI century italian, not in use anymore. I can barely understand the meaning because we have some cousin words remaining in the language. For example "Sprezzante", that means "contemptuous" or "scornful" and have very negative connotations. This negative connotation extends to the ancient word, so it is difficult for me (and I suppose for other Italian speaking) to give it a positive meaning. Loaned words are funny sometimes...

Re: Sprezzatura

#22

Post by balding_n_tired » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 1:41 PM UTC

Might I recommend going back to the source on "sprezzatura"? http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dst...

Re: Sprezzatura

#23

Post by cyunker » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 2:09 PM UTC

diN0bot wrote: post #11

vijayr wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is one of the best TED talks I've ever watched, and I've seen it many times. I read her book, "Eat Pray Love" and googled her, when I came across the TED video. If anyone reading this hasn't watched the video yet, please do.

can you explain more of the appeal? (apologies, but i am going to explain my opinion here before waiting for you to answer. eit.) i stopped watching 75-85% of the way through. i couldn't take all the "you know"s, "like"s and "um"s. i'm not sure if the content wasn't appealing to me, or if her explanation was unexciting. when i see great art or learn something awesome i feel something lift inside me. i have an emotion…

I pretty much agree. This talk did nothing to me. It didn't really break any new ground. Yes, you must be persistent and "show up for work" to be an artist. Who hasn't heard this before?

I hadn't heard of this author or her book, so I checked it out on Amazon. The most useful review is titled "Glib, narcissistic and lightweight". That's kind of how I felt listening to this talk. How many times did she mention the "freakish success" of her book?

Re: Sprezzatura

#24

Post by diN0bot » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 2:59 PM UTC

kringz wrote: post #13

diN0bot wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

can you explain more of the appeal? (apologies, but i am going to explain my opinion here before waiting for you to answer. eit.) i stopped watching 75-85% of the way through. i couldn't take all the "you know"s, "like"s and "um"s. i'm not sure if the content wasn't appealing to me, or if her explanation was unexciting. when i see great art or learn something awesome i feel something lift inside me. i have an emotion…

Perhaps it would be difficult to understand what she is talking about if you had never experienced similar personal dilemmas...

er... i think i understand what she is talking about and have had similar personal experiences...interesting choice there of questioning that.

no, i was speaking to the disjoint between the content of the blog article (effortless requires extreme diligence) and the example (eat, pray, love author's ted talk as "best ted talk ever").

Re: Sprezzatura

#25

Post by dhyasama » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 3:40 PM UTC

petermarks wrote: post #10

zackattack wrote: post #4

Kobe Bryant is the best example of sprezzatura in sports, especially when you see him drive to the rim with four defenders on him. Kobe also speaks italian.

Agreed. This account of his 4am workouts and non-stop icing routine on gameday is truly inspiring: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4068270 I like Kobe more than Lebron more for this very reason. He compensates for his relatively inferior size with superior work ethic.

His work ethic is legendary (and rubbed off on Lebron at the Olympics last summer). FYI, Kobe is 6'5" which is exactly average for NBA shooting guards.

Re: Sprezzatura

#26

Post by stuntgoat » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 5:26 PM UTC

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=470695

Re: Sprezzatura

#27

Post by jamesbritt » Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 8:17 PM UTC

vibhavs wrote: post #3

That's a great word. It's really fascinating how certain words need a sentence-long definition when translated from other languages to English. So much is captured in one word! And that's an incredible TED talk. I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it that they watch it when they have a chance. The best part in my opinion: "That's not what my creative process is - I'm not the pipeline! I'm a mule, and the way that I…

"It's really fascinating how certain words need a sentence-long definition when translated from other languages to English. So much is captured in one word!"

That's also true for many English words translated to other languages, and for English words simply being explained in plain English.

What's particularly interesting is when one culture decides that some concept deserves a single-word moniker, while other cultures have no corresponding word, as if the concept never (or rarely) comes up. (The German word Schadenfreude comes to mind as an example.)