I’ve come to a revelatory observation about the people in my world. I’ve got an odd collection of friends - so odd, I’ve often wondered what they have in common. and I think I’ve just figured it out. All my friends are generalists. As opposed to specialists. This insight came from being rather ungratefully used by a batch of specialists recently.
Specialists are people who make it their life’s work to be the best at one thing. For generalists, experience and variety are a way of life. Generalists get a bad rap sometimes. Jack of all trades, master of none. Ambitionless. Unfocused. Juvenile. Dilettante. Dabbler. Specialists get to be prodigies, wunderkinds, experts, craftsmen.
It all sounds rather admirable, but here’s the thing. Specialists, by definition, have to focus on just one thing. This makes them narrow-minded. That’s pretty dull and annoying to be around. Generalists like lots of things. This makes them much funner to talk to and much more useful in a pinch.
Specialists define success by being the best. Only a few can be the best. So specialists must be competitive, elitist and narcissistic in order to succeed. And yeah, that’s annoying too. Generalists usually succeed by cooperation, not competition. So generalists are much better playmates.
Being the best is a rather subjective thing. It’s often measured and defined by those in the craft with power. So in order to succeed, specialists must become ass-kissers, star-fuckers, politicians and users. Not much fun. Generalists chase experience more than recognition, so they get to just be themselves. They get to be honest, candid, open. Yeah, I like that better.
Specialists, in their desperation to master their craft, become slave to both the craft and the politics of that craft’s measures of success. Generalists are motivated by experience of all kind so their identity isn’t slave to one measure of success. In fact, experience makes them happier than success. Experience is easier to come by than success so they are free from the rules of the game. Free people are healthier people.
When a bunch of specialists get together and form a group, one where their only motivation for cooperation is mutual ambition and narcissism, the competitiveness and hypocrisy in the room are palpable, and it just smells bad. Generalists get together and more is possible. Experience and variety blend into insight. Things pop. “Aha!” moments happen.
Specialists tend to come from a privileged background since such a background lends individuals more opportunities like education, free time, and awareness of the possibilities. This only increases the likelihood of snobbery, ignorance, elitism and callousness in these people. Generalists are often self-made and therefore more reliable. Generalists tend to have spent some time with the rest of the rabble and as a result, are more compassionate, aware and humble. So they’re more likely to actually be aware of other people’s feelings and to actually give a shit.
Generalists make better party guests, trivia contest players, friends, lovers and allies. They’re not better people, just better to be around. They have more to share and more motivation to share.
An important distinction. I’m not talking about amateur vs. professional here. In fact, I know more generalists who get paid for what they do because they have more skills and more flexibility to offer. I’m also not talking about talent. Specialists have more craft, yes. But talent, well, that’s something else. When specialists don’t have talent, they must create smoke and mirrors - elusive definitions of talent that can’t be grasped by those outside the club, and nepotism to control the club’s membership. Specialists need clubs to remind everyone the emperor has nice clothes. Generalists shun clubs. I like that.
It’s funny, I used to forgive the obnoxious qualities of some specialists if they had talent, as though talent excuses all. But I think I’m over that now. I think fuck specialists, I like generalists better.
Do I sound bitter? Well, yeah, still sore from that encounter I mentioned. But I take comfort in knowing that specialists get their just rewards because they are both bored and boring at parties. And they miss the best things in this world. And in the event of a cataclysmic event that puts them on a desert island scenario they’ll be totally useless.
3 comments:
There are those of us that specialize in generality. Which is confusing.
It's an interesting distinction. As one who grew up the product of a "specialist oriented" family, town, and economic strata, being okay existing in generality is sometimes a challenge.
And leaves the days more open to things like, "hmm, should I do music, write, read philosophy, go work on Fringe stuff, or actually go to my day job today?"
--Allegra
This is perhaps the best blog entry I've ever read!
I'm constantly being derided by my husband for being a dillettante, for not being good at any one thing. For having a different interest "this week" than I did "last week." It never bothered me before, but lately I've been thinking there was something wrong with me.
But you've clarified for me exactly why I dig in my heels against joining his world. Yes, my husband plays fantastic classical guitar, his brother has discovered prime numbers, his other brother has software on a NASA satellite. But one day with the whole family together lasts about two hours before someone storms out. They are competitive and narcissistic and terribly unpleasant to be around.
Give me a batch of generalists any day. And let me continue learning, please, about everything! That's where my true happiness lies.
Post a Comment