A Generalist's "Before I Die" Minimal Checklist:

[lwood]

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 Heinlein

Things I consider myself able to do and/or have done on this checklist so far:

change a diaper

Yup.

plan an invasion

Yup, although it does involve rather stretching what sort of invasion and what you mean by "plan". Land war in Russia? No. Utter annihilation of my enemies in computer simulations? Yep.

butcher a hog

Theory but not practice. And if we include the slaughter as being under the topic of butchery, I'd probably do horrid things to the first couple poor beasts until and unless I learned or was taught better--assuming a knife, anyway, and not a slug to the third eye.

conn a ship

In two-dee space, I have. In three-dee atmospheric I'm conversant in the theory, with no practice. In three-dee non-atmospheric, certainly what Lazarus Long had in mind...no.

design a building

Have not done; am conversant in theory but for practice I don't think Lego and Lincoln Logs count.

write a sonnet

These days, any kind of structured poetry is a win against the creeping crud of free verse, laundry list "poetry". I can throw myself wholly into haiku on the spur of the moment, toss off four four-beat Anglo-Saxonish alliterative lines in five minutes, and in an hour string four of that together. Icelandic court meters aren't something I've had to do, but given Snorri and skull-sweat I reckon I could. My lack of motivation stems from lack of critique; if no-one tells me when and how it sucks, how do I know how to improve? If we're strictly speaking of a sonnet, Petrarchan or Shakesperian, let alone the wild things cadhla can do with three quatrains, a couplet, and some string? No.

balance accounts

Yes. And I will play "hunt the rogue penny" until the little copper shit cries for momma.

build a wall

Ayuh--although unless simulations, Lego, and Lincoln Logs count, we're still at the theory stage. Still, give me a stack of Little House on the Prairie books, and I'll be half-set for the collapse of civilation.

set a bone

Theory? Yes. Practice? No. Note to self: First Aid Classes are Good. Should theoretically be encouraged as part of a pagan clergy curriculum, as we try to breed generalist problem solvers.

comfort the dying

Yes.

take orders

Yes.

give orders

Yes.

cooperate

Yes.

act alone

Yes.

solve equations

Yes. Might have to brush up on the theory for much anything past Algebra 2, but again, am not conning starships as often as Lazarus Long, and in any case, the lazy goat has Dora to do the heavy mental lifting, so 8-P. Heinlein may or may not have been willing to settle for non-mathematical analogues; it is likely Lazarus Long would not have, given his firm opinion on mathematical literacy.

analyze a new problem

Yes.

pitch manure

Yep. And turn a compost heap, and look for fishin' worms...

program a computer

Yes, actually. I'd rather herd them, but I can sweat out a few lines if I have to.

cook a tasty meal

Yes. Indeed, I can cause gourmet goodness from the highly randomized contents of Greyhaven's refrigerator in under twenty minutes. Mind you, "white wine/basalmic vinegar reduction" makes anything sound and taste like gourmet eats, as does "wilted spinach". So.

fight efficiently

Does risk management to as yet successfully avoid fights count as efficiently?

die gallantly

Lazarus, you little shit, you haven't died!

Hm.

Should work on that.

For rather a few of these, I admit, I Have People for That: I can think of three people I'd ask for anything involving slaughtering, flensing, or butchering, another three for a sonnet, a couple for bone setting, and so on. When any of those have a computer that needs a Stern Talking-To, they call me. This is a community, whereas Heinlein was speaking to the rugged individualist. Those are important, and well, and good, but so is interdependence.

-- Lorrie

Comments

[countgeiger.livejournal.com]

I first saw this when I was .. hrm.. 14? 15? And it really rang true. Heinlein couldn't write female characters for crap, most of the time, and honestly had a lot of flaws in his writing, but this? It rang true and clear.

True and clear to the point that I've done all but the last, though the first only for gaming and theory purposes. I just hope that when the time comes, I can accomplish the last half as well as some of the others.

Oh, lwood? From Lazarus' perspective, he /did/ die gallantly. At the end of _Time_Enough_For_Love_ when he passed out, he had no reason to believe he'd come to.

[lwood.livejournal.com]

From Lazarus' perspective, he /did/ die gallantly.

But had not done so when Ira, Chairman Pro Tempore, gathered the aphorisms that were collected into the Notebooks.

Lazarus is still a little shit; his mama spoiled him terribly and did not spank him half often enough.

-- Lorrie

[lastwaykeeper.livejournal.com]

You can add me to your list of sonnet people :D If you so desire, that is. lol

[isnorden.livejournal.com]

Some human beings (myself included) lack the manual dexterity, the spatial perception, or the lifting strength to do at least half of those tasks. If deciding to be a linguist and lorespeaker makes me insect-like, Mr. Heinlein, then sign me up; I could use the wings!