“A human being should be able to:
* change a diaper,
* plan an invasion,
* butcher a hog,
* conn a ship,
* design a building,
* write a sonnet,
* balance accounts,
* build a wall,
* set a bone,
* comfort the dying,
* take orders,
* give orders,
* cooperate,
* act alone,
* solve equations,
* analyze a new problem,
* pitch manure,
* program a computer,
* cook a tasty meal,
* fight efficiently,
* die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.” — Robert A. Heinlein
2 comments:
I used that argument on Glenn Reynolds' (Instapundit) wife Helen's blog, and she responded that there are many humans we need who are specialists; we don't get brain surgery done by a GP, for example, but by a brain surgeon. Nor do we want our passenger airplanes piloted by generalists. It suffices for the bulk of humanity, however.
It might be good to be a specialist at one thing, but too many people can't do the others AT ALL. Indeed, as I posted on my own hmble blog today, they don't even recognize that the other skills both exist AND make their lives of careful specialization possible, and civilization fares worse.
MC
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