Perhaps this is a just a form of bias. What you saw:
- People with early success also have later success.
- People failing keep failing
What you objectively didn't see: "it's not worth persisting if others think you're not good". I'm sure there are loads of people who have been told by others that they won't succeed, but despite judgement from others, still succeed.
IMHO, your opinion above is a manifestation of the judgement: "if I think they're not good now, they aren't ever gonna make it".
Everyone starts off a beginner, and they get better with effort.
I was recounting a situation as factually as possible. I don't think bias played a role. I do think, though, that your argument is based off a particular world-view: you believe anyone can achieve something if they try. I'm not going to comment on whether or not I believe that, but I think responding to an anecdote with "your anecdote is wrong because you're biased. I know this because [totally subjective world view]" is a bit weird.
I don't think "anyone can achieve something if they try" - primary because we don't get equal opportunity for reasons: income/wealth, culture, discrimination, education, luck, (genetics?). However, everyone starts as a beginner. Expressing view points like yours actually discourages people to strive for the best - my point is to share my perspective and make it clearer your sentiment seems to be to be the definition of "judgemental". I wouldn't achieve what I have today if I listened to the people who thought I wasn't good, or didn't have taste. Usually, these people with the strongest opinions are the one with NO knowledge, passion or interest in the field. When persuading you to drop something, they might actually be justifying why THEY chose not to do it. I think this a glass ceiling for a lot of people who don't have good role models.
"Dad" - "Forget kid, you tried for 2 years to a be a programmer and you suck". Does "dad" have taste in programming? Says the dad who works in test automation and couldn't break into other jobs. Another example for music: Imagine "rock music" doesn't exist yet. Someone literally invents it and plays it, and I persuade him to give it up and work at McDonalds because he doesn't have taste.
Even if one agrees with your sentiment, there are a few questions:
- How long should someone keep trying?
- What do you do when these taste-gods (judgemental people) have different, conflicting tastes (opinions)?
- What makes someones taste "bad"? Their resourcefulness? - they haven't seen what/how it's done better? This is obvious in programming. Your code quality increases as you make mistakes, read more code, or otherwise learn. I prefer to think in terms of principles (or lack thereof).
- People with early success also have later success.
- People failing keep failing
What you objectively didn't see: "it's not worth persisting if others think you're not good". I'm sure there are loads of people who have been told by others that they won't succeed, but despite judgement from others, still succeed.
IMHO, your opinion above is a manifestation of the judgement: "if I think they're not good now, they aren't ever gonna make it".
Everyone starts off a beginner, and they get better with effort.