Just because it's easy...

Let's admit it, it's fun to play big and loud, to throw in a lot of notes.  The audience responds well and it feels good to do it well.

Is it a sign of skill, though?

To some degree, absolutely.  To strike well enough to make a clean, loud noise or be dextrous enough to play a lot of notes quickly and in tempo is something that takes work.

But you know what's harder?

Playing quietly when everything around you screams to be loud - when it would be so easy to be loud.  Not so quietly that you can't be heard, but playing with dynamics deliberately and intentionally so that people have to listen if they want to hear you.  That's hard.

Know what else is hard?

Playing fewer notes when you really want to play as many notes as you can.  To pick the notes that matter; to use ma as you would any other note.

Now I'm not saying playing loud and fast is bad.  But when you think you've gotten really good because you can play louder or faster than anyone else, try something that's even harder.  See how hard it is to be just as dynamic but by doing "less"!