The death of Jack of All Trades
‘’Jack of all trades’’ used to be a complimentary description of a person with excellent broad knowledge. Over time, the ‘’master of non’’ was added, and the statement is much less flattering.
The world wants us specialised, focused on that one thing, being masters in one tiny area of expertise. There is nothing sinister here; it's just straightforward economics. Most businesses are organised for efficiency and most significant return for the shareholders, and you, one small cog in the machine, is very easy to replace indeed.
Just do your job; you don’t need to understand everything; we will keep you safe and fed and sometimes we will throw in the bonus.
This crazy mindset leaks into everyday life.
Why would you clean your own house if you can get a cleaner who will do a better job, cheaper? It will cost you only an extra one hour in front of the screen.
Cancel your Saturday shopping trips; online shopping is the way to go. Get it to deliver to your house; save time so you can work more.
Why bother with simply DIY if you can get someone to do it for you; focus on that important spreadsheet instead, it’s due for yesterday.
Broken washing machine? Please don’t bother with repairing; get a new o e, and get someone to uplift it for you.
And don’t waste your time anymore; you better buy an online gym membership; you need to move; you have been sitting all day!
Really? I didn't sign up for this new crazy world. I am old school.
My dad could, and still can, like most of the guys from his generation, repair and fix almost everything. There was never a need for a handyman or trade person in our flat; he was on the top of everything. He has never gone to the gym, but he is strong. It is a special kind of strength, built with a hammer and a drill.
That’s the way to go.
If I want a shed in my garden, I build one from scratch. Why would I order a prebuilt?
It might be faster, but why so haste?
Building from scratch allows me to unleash my creativity in a completely new dimension. I learned how to draw the plans, order materials, and build with my own hands.
With unlimited access to knowledge at the tips of your fingers, you can learn and do anything you want. And the more you know, the more you discover, the more you realised that life is about experiences and you have to create those.
Doing things with our own hands is unique. It makes you satisfied and accomplished. It is like-meditation-state, where time flies, and you stay in the moment. It is a bloody good workout too.
Be warned tho; you will get criticised for dipping in too many subjects.
That’s fine. It’s a simple defending mechanism for those who are not ready for change. They will tell you to stick to one thing, focus, and get down into the rabbit hole with them.
Ignore them. Keep reading, keep listening, keep learning. You will notice that you can achieve more, contrary to the common believe, if you multi specialize. You will be able to see more, make better connections and judgments, and you will understand problems on a completely new, higher level.
Well done, now you are one step closer to unsubscribing from the rat race and becoming an independent human being.
Now learn how to grow carrots.
