Keeping 10 Percent: Compton Jones ’27 on Protecting Personal Passions

During his recent TA talk, Compton Jones ‘27 spoke about his passion for music and the importance of keeping part of yourself for yourself.

Jones explains that although he grew up playing the cello, he eventually lost his passion for it because it became something he did out of obligation rather than genuine enjoyment.

“I actively keep the guitar to myself. I love the guitar but I hate playing it in front of other people. I avoid it. Not because I think I’m a bad player, not because of stage fright, but because I worry that if I share the guitar with others it will become another cello for me. I would play out of obligation, then choice, and if I continued that long enough, I might never pick up the guitar again.”

Jones referenced Crying in H Mart, noting the lesson in which a mother teaches her daughter to always “save 10 percent of yourself” from others. For Compton, the guitar is that “10 percent.”

His talk encouraged the audience to reconsider their hobbies—to reconnect with the joy in them rather than turning them into obligations or means to an end.

Jones closed by saying, “My advice to you all is to be selfish. Keep something for yourself.”

Ultimately, his message underscored the value of protecting the passions and pieces of ourselves that genuinely bring us happiness.

Offered Wednesdays at the Upper School during the school year, TA Talks format allows a student, faculty member, or staff member to deliver a 10- to 15-minute talk on a topic of personal significance. The speaker’s words are supported by images from their own collection as well as from student photographers, filmmakers, or artists whose work is sought specifically for the occasion.