Thread by @alexandrosM

To all the credentialists, my domain of expertise is generalism. But if we do go by your rules, don't gatekeep unless you have a phd in the field of gatekeeping, if not tenure. I would prefer no human self-limits, but if you are going to, don't push stupid memes on others too.

The depth of this idea cannot be overstated.

https://twitter.com/PPathole/status/1396370266276524036?s=19

Wonder why world records get pushed up a little at a time and after a while the qualification is above where the world record used to be? Maybe we found fundamentally better ways to do sport, but it also may play a part that we calibrate self-expectations on what our peers can do

Specialization is a psyop.

The most reliable way to get ahead of your peers is to get good at many domains and transfer insights between them. If you don't trust me on this, trust the person that's founded the most billion $ companies in history, and isn't even 50 yet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1248012453511720960?s=19

The insight to truly understand is that all true facts click into each other and all form a single reality. Areas of expertise can be a convenient shorthand, but when the turf wars begin, we're lost.

https://twitter.com/alexandrosM/status/1408558781206700033?s=19

And if Elon musk is not a reliable role model, maybe Steve Jobs can get the point across? This video may be the best 2 minutes message of all time.

I rant about this a lot. Maybe one day I should put together these ideas in a more coherent essay, but until then, let's pile them up here

https://twitter.com/alexandrosM/status/1355935136957702145?s=19

Specialization is like a firebreak, but instead of fire, it stops innovation and human flourishing. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firebreak

We tell ourselves that our knowledge is advanced in an absolute sense, but so did every other era of humanity, and we know for sure they weren't even scratching the surface. Some know more than others in some domains, but none of us knows anything compared to what is out there.

The faster we get over ourselves and stop parading our degrees around the faster we get busy working on the project that really matters. At least peacock tails are waterproof.

https://twitter.com/alexandrosM/status/1320112382127947777

And if you're looking for simple, practical policies we could implement today, this here still sounds pretty decent to me:

https://twitter.com/alexandrosM/status/1406543132682903556?s=19

I consider solving this my personal challenge, mission, and duty at balena.

https://twitter.com/nitprashant/status/1407280071832862721?s=19

Why yes, I do have a SoundCloud, why do you ask? m.soundcloud.com/alexandrosm/de…