Talent and aptitude were things you could neither see nor touch, yet they undeniably existed.
Some people were better at playing the piano, some were better at solving Rubik's Cubes, some were born for business, while others possessed an exceptionally keen nose for finance.
Modern society was a platform, one that allowed them to display their talents without worrying about food or clothing. It could be said that modern society was extremely gentle, hiding all its cruelty beneath that gentleness.
But in the world of pirates, that cruelty was laid out far more directly before everyone.
Those who could not wield swords had no value. Those who could not use muskets had no value. Those who could not handle sails and oars had no value. Those who could not navigate had no value...
In short, the values of people in this world were far more direct.
Those who wielded blades and guns could kill enemies, protect themselves, and plunder civilians. Those who handled sails and oars could undertake grand voyages. Meanwhile, those with artistic talent, talent for physics, or archaeological ability could not survive in this world.
And people with talent had it easy.
Zoro, who had the talent of a swordsman, had been able to join the Wano Country swordmaster Koshiro as a disciple while still very young and alone. Nami, who had the talent of a navigator, had used that ability to protect her sister and village while working under Arlong just to survive. Usopp, Van Augur, and Michael, who possessed the talent of snipers, could easily grasp a musket's characteristics as soon as they got their hands on one and use it to kill enemies far stronger than themselves.
If One Piece had not been a shonen manga, if Usopp had not been part of the protagonist's