Sun 21 Jan 2007
“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.”
-the late great Robert A. Heinlein
January 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Hmmm. Well, I can do 13 of those things. Unfortunately, the manure thing is one of them.
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:07 pm
boy do i have some work to do. 11 and 2 halves (which i don’t think given the circumstances can count as a whole) out of 21 tasks…i’m sunk. balancing accounts has always been something that’s fried my feeble little mind but i’m pretty damn sure i could butcher a hog if need be. and to think i’m still single…go figure.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:58 am
I’m not so good at taking orders, which is why I am also disqualified for “cooperate”. And dying gallantly? We’ll see.
January 25th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Interesting reactions! I didn’t mean to imply that everyone should be able to accomplish all of the above; more that interesting folks are well-rounded.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:39 am
This puts me in mind of a conversation about the qualities that make up a truly accomplished woman. Admittedly, Heinlein’s list is probably more useful. But can it get you a husband?