Thursday, October 23, 2008

Specialization is for Insects

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

Is Scotty a human or an insect?

I can change a diaper. I have a lot more experience at that than I’d prefer.
I think I could plan an invasion, but I suspect I’d do better if all participants involved were fighting with swords, crossbows and catapults.
I can butcher a hog. My 1.5 years working at Excel- a hog packing plant- in college finally pays off in a philosophical way.
I had to look up what conn means. To direct the course or steering of a ship or plane. I can’t actually conn a ship, but I can launch and dock a ski boat. Learning how to sail a boat is on my to-do list.
I could perhaps design a shed.
Writing a sonnet is right out.
I can balance accounts, but I generally don’t.
I’ve never built a wall, but Anke has. Perhaps she could help me.
I don’t think I could set a bone.
I’ve thankfully never had to comfort the dying.
I take orders daily.
I give orders daily.
I can both cooperate and act alone.
I can solve simple equations.
I analyze new problems regularly. The Analyst portion of my Programmer/Analyst title.
I can pitch manure, but I’m not volunteering for that job.
I write computer programs on a daily basis. The Programmer portion of my Programmer/Analyst title.
I can definitely cook a tasty meal.
I don’t know how efficient a fighter I am.
I’m hoping to live long enough for technology to make me immortal.

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