...ensure that all smart people, irrespective of starting positions, have the opportunity to use their talents.
I partially agree. However I would want to ensure that
all people (not just smart ones) have the ability to
develop their talents.
I make the distinction between
developing talents and
using talents because...
1) Using talents sounds a bit like government-assigned positions, jobs, or tasks.
2) Individuals may wish to work in fields outside their talent area (interests and talents do not always align).
3) Individuals may choose to change careers and/or areas of focus.
4) Opportunity to
develop talent sounds more like investing in our kids' learning at the appropriate challenge level (rather than having them use their talents to function as free tutors to other students in their classrooms).
5) I favor individual determinism and
internal locus of control, not
collectivism.
