Generalist or Specialist: To the Vincis

How do you throw your dart? Everywhere or in the middle?

David Epstein in this book suggests throwing your dart everywhere even though the world expects you to focus on the target.

Here are my few thoughts on the topic.

Being a generalist is not about knowing more of everything but rather connecting more of everything.

Connecting is not as hard as it seems. It simply means putting the brain in a state of chaos. Chaos because it is not normal to connect more in an over-specialized world.

For instance, you are to watch a series of 10 videos to understand a new concept. Let's take 2 case studies of possible ways in accomplishing this task.

Case Study A: Watches first video, second video serially up to the last video.

Case Study B: Watches randomly. Probably video 8, then video 6,4,3,2,7,1,9,10,5.

At the end of the video session, Case Study A would probably "know" more as his connection of the concept would be what is popular, expected, and the measure of judgment.

Case study B would probably "know" less or nothing as his connections may differ from the original intent of the author of the video but his connections are his - original. Case study B also would be in a position to make a lot more possible connections in a bid to find a structure to his now chaotic brain. Some of these connections may not make any sense while one or more could be that game-changing thought. Well, this is actually what creativity is.

However, the world is an over-specialized space and can't afford more people like Case study B especially in making decisions and proferring solutions. As it's time-wasting and largely experimental. We would rather settle for what we are used to. So, we are mostly forced to connect less. And be less brain chaotic.

Who doesn't want to make money lol?

Now.... To the Vincis

To the Vincis:

The passionate but not disciplined.
The ones who start with the brightest flame.
And stop at the middle when something else excites their brain.
And then again.
Start again.
And a client is lost again.

But then again.
There are many other clients again. Because you know little of everything as they claim.
Medicine. Music. Art. Science. Technology.

To the Vincis:
Aren't you going to be wretched?
Because when discipline meets passion, passion feels pain.

When the Michaelangelos meet the Vincis, the Vincis feel pain.
Because the Michaelangelos are Angels, But the Vincis are controlled by their demons.
Their lust, their passion is their sodomy.

To the Vincis:
You aren't geniuses.
You only don't want to feel pain.
You think work should be a pleasure.
And pleasure shouldn't be a pain.

You are ridden by your pleasure and lust over everything.

The horses- You lust.
The money- You lust.
Monalisa- You lust.
And in all- You lost.
And none- You love.

Because love means commitment.
Love means focus.
Love means dedication.
Love means special.
Love means pain.

To the Vincis