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There are loads of people who don't actually know how to efficiently cut the loin from a pig, tack against the wind, or ensure proper close air support while br

There are loads of people who don't actually know how to efficiently cut the loin from a pig, tack against the wind, or ensure proper close air support while bringing even a few thousand soldiers into territory held by an enemy force... But who still post that Heinline monologue about how specialization is for insects.

carlmr 9y ago
Heinlein's quote I think is not to be taken too literally. It's the notion that human beings can do so many things and there's a lot of synergy in knowing that many things. You'll start seeing connections between one and the other and solve problems in activity A while doing activity B. It's fun too! I might not know how to butcher a pig, but I know multiple programming languages, multiple human languages, I ski, I climb, I skate, I ride bikes. I can cook foods from cuisines from all over the world. I read books on things I haven't formally studied. Life is just more interesting if you're not a one trick insect.
- afarrell 9y ago
  > not to be taken too literally Sure, but it doesn't help you actually decide where the line is between "things which I should focus on learning" and "things which are massive skills that it would take many years to learn and I shouldn't bother." My biggest problem here is with "learn how to plan an invasion".
- rootw0rm 9y ago
  You could probably butcher a pig. It's not rocket surgery.