If everyone’s brain worked like mine, we’d still be living in tents, ruminating all day and accomplishing nothing. That said, seeing the big picture does have its merits. Here’s why I’m a generalist, defined by Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary as one whose skills, interests, or habits are varied or unspecialized.
1-Perspective
It’s all about zooming out. Way out—where there are clouds of dust and everything is made of the same particles.
Including me.
Sure, I have a heartbeat, make random sounds with my mouth, and have customs that are near and dear to me.
So does everyone else.
It’s all the same. Equally marvelous. Or equally trivial.
My call.
2-Category Disdain
From the same perch, another secret becomes obvious—categories can be trash.
I can embrace the social classification a self-important academic, uninformed commentator, or well-intentioned family member thrusts upon me.
Or I can ignore it completely.
Again, my call.
3-The Alternative Ain’t for Everyone
A world without specialists would collapse.
But that doesn’t mean everyone has to partake in mastery.
In my other life as a kidney professional, I spend time in the weeds, grasping microscopic nuances as the macroscopic world runs circles around me.
Yes, there are dollars and discoveries to be made in the minutiae, but I’d rather dabble in the whole shebang.
4-Flexibility
I’m talking about cerebral flexibility, as I can barely touch my toes. (A convex midsection doesn’t help.)
Regardless, these questions come naturally:
- Is that area of study truly boring?
- Is that style of music actually annoying?
- Or am I the boring and annoying one?
Because as Taylor Swift points out, there’s always the possibility that it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.
5-Safe Dopamine
Finally, in these dopamine-centric times, I—like everybody else—want my hit of the neurotransmitter.
I’d prefer, however, not to go the route of overeating, binge drinking, or doomscrolling.
As a generalist, the next fix is just one nugget of information or one new tune away.
After all, if I get addicted to learning new stuff, I’m fine with that.
In other words, the tent can be a rewarding place.
2 Responses
looks like you are a specialist in generalism.
Hahaha.
You might appreciate this line: Generalists know less and less about more and more and eventually know nothing about everything.
Specialists know more and more about less and less and eventually know everything about nothing.