Emerson argues that individuals possess different natural abilities, and that these differences allow people to contribute in distinctive ways. A task that is difficult for one person may come more readily to another because of aptitude, temperament or developed skill. He presents this variation not as a defect but as a source of usefulness.

Within Wealth, the statement supports Emerson’s broader interest in productive ability and the division of human effort. Society benefits when people apply their particular strengths to work that others may be less suited to perform. His claim that each person has a unique faculty is deliberately general and should not be read as a literal guarantee that everyone has one exclusive talent. The central idea is that differences in capacity can create mutual dependence, giving individuals value through the particular contribution they are able to make.