Actualized.org - Self-Help, Psychology, Consciousness, Spirituality, Philosophy Profound Quotes #002 - Specialization Is For Insects
Mar 5, 2014
A discussion of why extreme specialization can narrow human potential and culture. Exploration of how market forces push people into ever-smaller niches. A defense of becoming a renaissance person through broad study of art, science, history, and practical skills. Thoughts on how wide learning improves judgment, creativity, relationships, and resilience. Advice to specialize for work but cultivate breadth in life.
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Specialization Shrinks Human Capability
- Specialization reduces human robustness and narrows life to a tiny professional slice.
- Leo cites Robert Heinlein's list of diverse human skills to show a fully capable person isn't limited to one vocation.
Keep A Specialty But Expand Beyond Work
- Maintain deep proficiency in a specialty but deliberately cultivate breadth outside work.
- Leo warns market forces push engineers and designers into ever narrower niches, so counteract by exploring other domains.
Leo's Personal Curriculum Of Diverse Interests
- Leo lists his personal interests to model broad curiosity across intellectual and practical domains.
- He names cooking, fitness, psychology, cosmology, programming, graphic design, art, management, and marketing as examples he pursues.