I’m going to paraphrase Adam Savage.
I am mediocre at a lot of things. But the way I combine and use those skills are what make my skill set unique and what makes them great.
I like that, some YouTube video i came across had the sentiment that it was ok to be a renaissance man, jack of all trades kinda deal. I liked that a lot since i have a few different hobbies and im not particularly great at any of them but im good for the most part.
Made me feel like i didn’t have to be perfect and it was cool to just be doing stuff.
Same. I have one or two things I’m really good at. And a lot of things I’m pretty ok at. In my field, theatre, being ok in a lot of things means I can fit into almost any space. Don’t make me your department head, but I can help pretty much every department except costumes. I used to think not being “master” level at these things made me a waste in space. Took me a while to realize “not as skillful” didn’t mean “skill-less.” I’d still rather be on stage but, I’m enjoying where I am for now.
Hobbies are one thing, you don’t need to be good at them to enjoy them, but being incredibly good at one specific thing tends to pay far better than mediocre at a lot of things.
I’m in an engineering field, and I can tell you this absolutely holds true.
I’ve been very average in my own specialty of electrical engineering, but because I’ve taken the time to deep dive into mechanical engineering and controls/automation, I’ve far surpassed my peers career wise.
Okay this is actually what makes humans amazing. Btw the malört and Marx is talking now.
I feel like we are sold this idea to be purely a specialist because… It’s easy to know that your tool does one thing and one thing well. It really is a mindset that benefits a capitalist that a worker is good for one thing. How many jobs have you been in that you felt never utilized your potential? That you had so many skills that weren’t being utilized?
Marx characterized humans as being creative and diverse. We are amazing Swiss army knives, but so often our companies ask us to only be a screwdriver or a bottle opener.
Sadly if you are reading this thinking “I’m only good at one thing” it’s not true and it’s not your fault. You’ve been sold an idea that you bought into, and it may have even been beneficial financially. How many people are making $350k to turn a button blue and move it left 3 pixels? Our system rewards people when they are able to be tools for a specific purpose.
Oddly enough Marx predicted that the country most likely to be communist would be the United States. He actually really liked Americans, we were farmers in the morning, artists in the evening, and philosophers at night. We had overthrown the aristocracy, so it just made sense we would be the first to overthrow the Bourgeois class.
Turns out Marx couldn’t predict everything :/
Have hobbies. Seriously. Stink at playing guitar or learning a foreign language like I do, but do it anyway.
If I had all those skills, I would also try to climb up and look at butt mountain.
It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
What is this, the Vitruvian Spider-Man?
Jack off all trades and master a nun, yet better than masterbering just one
pretty sure that’s how it goes
No you jack off!
Jack of all trades, master of none, yet better than the master of one
Yes, it’s important to skill stack in order to remain competi… Hey where are you going! No you’re not allow up there to live your own life and develop as you please! Get back down here to compete against others just like you!
…and whatever you do, don’t form collective sympathies for each other, against your economic “betters”.
For that would risk a general strike.
Just be
I want to do a lot of things, and I don’t care if I am bad at them.
Wait?! Do I have to choae between crochet, 3d printing, painting, woodworking and baking/cooking?!! But I love doing all this stuff! What am I going to do with the thousands of dolars in tools, Yarn, filament, Resin and paints?!!!
Not enough time and money for all of my hobbies and interests. Gotta come up with a way to earn money but not have to work.
