R Heinlein to-do list

[BonnyLake]

Allow me to share with you - even if you've read this before, it's worth a repeat. I like quotes from famous authors who wrote fiction with the real world in mind. Any other titles would be appreciated - winter reading is fast approaching.

“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.” — Robert A. Heinlein

Several of his novels have the restructuring of society as the main theme, albeit on different planets and in far away places.

I'm reading "Expanded Universe" ~"How to be a Survivor"
It's a great read.
Bonny

[Aamylf]

[QUOTE=2ndChanceFarm;
“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.” — Robert A. Heinlein


Okay -- I could probably figure out how to set a bone, but I cannot program a computer (DH can) and i cnnot butcher a hog. I hope never to learn if I can fight efficiently, but I don't see why not. So I guess I'm not in too bad a shape. I figure if I can plan a party for 500 people long distance, I can plan an invasion!

[NCLee]

Bonny, I like that one! Going to save it so I can print it out and refer others to it when appropriate. :wink:

Ran across this one many years ago. Don't remember now where I first saw it. A copy has been on every bulletin board where I've worked since I found it.

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of bigger ideas, never returns to its original size. - Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Your quote seems to flesh out Holmes' concept. Thanks for sharing.

Lee

[patience]

I don't do invasions, ships, sonnets, or computer programs, and I ain't dead yet, so I can't say about that one. The rest I've done pretty successfully. I have done some creative writing in prose, but poetry and I don't get along. I have designed, built and programmed a lot of automation equipment, but that doesn't qualify as computer prgramming. I had to cut a 2" splinter out of my own hand once, to the point that I could get hold of it with pliers to get it out--they get stuck pretty tight--no fun. And, I've set a couple of my own broken fingers, and I tied up a guy with 3 broken ribs ( with my belt and his) so we could get him out of the woods from where he fell out of his deer stand. Fought a forest fire for 4 days once, and I've searched a forestry on horseback for lost kids. No comment on the rest. :rolleyes:

It is a worthy goal for all of us though. I do believe that people have become too specialized for their own good.

[KarenBC]

“A human being should be able to ...Bonny

Thanks Bonny - I hadn't seen this before. I copied it, prettied it up the formatting with bullets and printed it out - want this one by the computer.

[BonnyLake]

Thanks Bonny - I hadn't seen this before. I copied it, prettied it up the formatting with bullets and printed it out - want this one by the computer.

I am assuming it will be your official checklist :)

I need to have lofty goals alongside the easier ones, makes me feel like I can accomplish whatever I set my mind on.

Bonny

[KarenBC]

I am assuming it will be your official checklist :)
Bonny

Hmm...I suspect I'm going to have trouble with:
solve equations - that's my biggest weakness

and conn a ship - as long as I can see shore - no problem...but reading charts with no landmarks on the ocean - that would take some pondering.

not sure about programming a computer - can do HTML, but that's way far from programming.

All the rest - I'd give it a good go!

[Crash]

I respect Heinlein greatly, but he's asking a bit much to expect any one person to be able to do all of these things. I mean, as long as we're listing required skills, why not include neurosurgery, astronautics, World Cup skiing, playing major league baseball, developing a cure for cancer.....?
Instead of this "pie in the sky stuff," why not concentrate on the practical skills, including some of the things Heinlists lists (setting a bone), such as growing one's own food, finding one's way out of a forest, surviving in a desert, etc. There are only so many things one person can do, especially since some of the things on Heinlein's list require a great deal of time, training, and experience--not to mention aptitude--to do well.

Crash

[NCLee]

Crash, don't think he means that each of us should master his list. We should each come up with our own "jack of all trades" list and master it. He doesn't think people should be like a hive of bees - workers, drones, and queen. Each has his or her specific role in the hive and CAN'T do anything else. Each is totally dependent on the others succeeding on their tasks in order to survive. Each is dependent on the "collective" to function for them.

IMHO, there's another point embed in his list. In today's society it isn't likely that many who can "conn a ship" will also "change a diaper" or "pitch manure". Just use your local grocery store shoppers as an example.

Almost everything in that store is already prepared to some degree. Even raw whole chickens have their heads removed, feathers plucked, innards gutted, and are wrapped up like a birthday present. But that isn't enough. Some packages of chicken are already seasoned and are ready for the oven. Even more are already cooked. (Some hot and ready to eat, some ready for the microwave.)

Very few today want to buy a live chicken and prep it themselves the way it used to be done. There's no way they'll pick up an ax an chop off that head. No way they'll scald that chicken and pluck off those stinking feathers or put their hands on the guts. Even those willing to cut up a whole, grocery store chicken, is small in comparision to total sales.

Many of those who can "conn a ship" (substitute any skill that brings in money) won't "pitch manure" (gut that chicken). It's disgusting and they aren't going to get their hands dirty. The end result is that today much of our society don't understand the importance of getting their hands dirty nor even know how, if their lives depended on it.

Even Scarlet O'Hara knew how to dig potatoes. We have people today that don't know they grow underground. Instead, they are busy buzzing around the hive, doing their assigned duties, depending on others to have those McD's fries waiting for them.

Just my 2-cents this morning with my first cuppa coffee. :)

Lee

[patience]

NCLee,

FRUSTRATION! Just stumbled onto this thread. Still have alot of trouble navigating here. I mostly have to start with links provided by BigOBear, or I get lost. Okay. I got here somehow. Did a lengthy post on specialization, and proceeded to hit some errant key that made it disappear. :mad: I HATE THIS! Now I'm dyslexic again.

Can't remember it all now. I said something about too much specialization iis bad, but so is too little of it. Just don't have time to do everything yourself. But you do need to know how to do many things, as the OP said.

[Dennis G]

Several of his novels have the restructuring of society as the main theme, albeit on different planets and in far away places.

I'm reading "Expanded Universe" ~"How to be a Survivor"
It's a great read.
Bonny


You should read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - the best book on revolution ever.

"love is when another person's happiness is essential for your own happiness." - Heinlein

Dennis G

[Steve_L]

Yeah, what NCLee said. I don't think he meant that list exactly, but the general idea that one should have a broad list of abilities and talents to draw on, and not be specialized.

Planning invasions isn't hard, btw. The Army has a field manual on it called "Tactics". ;-D

[grumble]

"Planning invasions isn't hard, btw."

I hope you intended that as a tongue-in-cheek comment? Invasion planning is very complicated and involved. Poor planning results in dead people and repelled attacks.

[MarkJ]

Heinlein is one of my favorite authors, but let's not forget the context of the list, which is espoused by the main character who has lived for 2000 years. A man that has a lifespan that long would be able to learn to do all of them well. That does not mean that I won't try to learn as much as I can before my time is up, though.:D

[morganism]

yup, that conning a ship... is a spaceship!