flynn23 wrote:

I wouldn't think of it as sad. In fact, I find it a bit beautiful. I don't see the need for specialization that you reference. I think the world needs both types. Successful organizations need both types. Marriages need both types. A damn good band needs both types. It's the ability to do wonderful things when you have the hyper curious and the hyper focused working well together that makes for some truly magical moments. I spend most of my time and personal effort figuring out ways to cultivate those relationships.

Actually, you're quite right. I was imprecise in my earlier writing, but I absolutely see the value inherent in both types of person working together. The comments I made were from the standpoint that the pressure to specialize is increasing rapidly and that the result will be too few generalists. The referenced article points in that direction, and it's been a supposition of mine, but perhaps neither us are correct... I don't know. Another concern is the very fact that highly focused people often disdain any knowledge or information outside their well defined purview, which, I posit, tends to marginalize the generalist. I certainly feel like I have a lot to learn from highly focused people (and have in the past), but I fear that too many of them don't feel like I have much to offer them.

[ I use "me", but I don't mean to imply that I'm the best example of general knowledge. I'm just using myself as a standin for similar (and often more adept) indviduals. ]

-k

RE: Lack of curiosity is curious