If we are going to wax philosophically:
I believe some folks have innate talents that when nurtured and honed allow for tremendous works. Those works may involve the arts, mechanical, engineering and/or architectural creations, athletic prowess, etc.
Granted anyone is capable of becoming a better guitarist, painter, runner, mechanic, carpenter, etc. by applying ample amounts of practice and determination, but in the end, some are simply more graciously genetically endowed with certain skills than others.
For instance, I am of the belief that I could have practiced classical guitar beginning at age 5 and continuing 8 hours per day for 30 years and still not have been as proficient as the great Segovia. To be sure, I would have been very very good, but folks like Segovia and Frank Lloyd Wright and Usain Bolt and the like have that something special that truly separates them from the crowd.
In short, we all have certain talents and lack others, and to suggest, for example, that anyone could take apart a transmission and rebuild it, while fundamentally true, overlooks the fact that there are some to which such an endeavor just "makes sense" and "clicks" while others may require having it spoon fed to them in a training module that would span weeks if not months with still no clear understanding of what was taking place in the grand scheme of things other than successfully following directions to an end result.
My brother, for instance, is "mechanically inclined", and can intuitively fix, take apart and reconstitute, figure out and pretty much do any such thing right the first time without ever having had prior instruction of any kind. Musically and artistically, however, he is the first to tell you he could not play a radio let alone learn a musical instrument and is lucky to make stick figures when it comes to drawing. Could he eventually learn to do such things, absolutely, but his mind is geared towards the mechanical/industrial side of things rather than the artistic. Not a knock in any way, just reality and a blessing depending upon how one looks at their own particular gifts.
I, on the other hand. struggle with mechanical and artistic things but love taking such challenges on in part because I derive so much satisfaction when I accomplish anything in these areas. When things don't come easy, small successes bring great joy.
So, I would have messed with the stool as well, seeing it as a challenge to figure it out and somehow make it work with my limited carpentry skills, but I certainly understand those who would rather choose to spend their precious free time engaged in areas in which they feel more comfortable, competent, and enlightened.
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