My understanding of the traditional Calvinist position is that it's based on original sin. One consequence of the Fall is that our judgement became clouded. We are unable to have true faith, because pride and other faults prevent us from truly acknowledging our sin and repenting. (These problems do not necessarily apply to secular matters, so we're able to make correct judgements in many cases there.)
This leaves us in a truly helpless situation. To get us out, God regenerates us. That means that he changes our hearts in such a way that we are able to understand our situation and respond to the Gospel. Faith is a gift, but in Calvinist theology, the real gift is the ability to have faith.
I don't think this theology makes sense unless you accept the initial claim about our helplessness. The traditional term is "total depravity," though I think "total inability" is better, because total depravity tends to lead to misunderstanding.
My understanding of the Biblical position regarding man's fallen condition, the resulting effects of original sin that brought death upon every man, is not merely clouded judgment, but lacking any desire to turn to God for life. Man changed his destiny, and his king when he freely chose to heed the voice of the serpent, and disobey God. Therefore since man freely chose to heed the voice of the serpent, from the fall, the serpent is the only voice that mankind hears, until God by grace through faith opens man's ears to hear the Gospel through the power of the Spirit.
Salvation is the gift of eternal life that is given (not offered) to whosoever believes the Gospel by grace through faith.
Total depravity, total inability, it really makes little difference. Truth is apart from faith that comes by grace through the power of the Spirit, fallen mankind has no desire to turn to Christ for life. Because fallen man loves the darkness, and has no desire within himself to turn to the Light. Knowing the Light will reveal man's sinful deeds.
John 3:3 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:5 (KJV) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
The GIFT of God is eternal life to whosoever believes the Gospel. The message about Christ; i.e. the Gospel, is OFFERED to all the world, and through the power of the Spirit, whosoever is ordained to eternal life will repent of his/her sin, turn to Christ believing. For salvation is the gift of God that comes by grace through faith that is not of ourselves, but of God alone.
Therefore it is well to say whosoever believes to the saving of his/her soul is ordained to eternal life.