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When science/math/engineering folk use "artsy" as a derogatory term, I have to wonder whether they're immune to irony. 1/
Bad art is easy and plentiful, and it's easier to create than bad science, so there's more of it, sure. 2/
But hey, being literate hardly makes you Toni Morrison or Leo Tolstoy. The best "artsy" folk change the world, while... 3/
Technical skills make you a mere technician. Hardly the heights of virtuosity. 4/
If technical skills are all you have, you're a mediocre scientist. 5/
Want to be good or great? That takes creativity. What's that? ...Exactly. 6/
So instead of disparaging "artsy" inclinations, why don't you call your frustration what it is? You look down on people who aren't excellent at what they do. 2 things about that: 7/
Thing 1: Are you sure they're not excellent? Maybe you guessed wrong about what they prioritize in life. There's more to be excellent at than work. 8/
Thing 2: Why are you wasting your time focusing on the mediocre? There's plenty of mediocre exemplars of everything. Instead, why not admire the impact people have when they progress past the bare minimum level? 9/
Otherwise it's as if you care more about titles than impact. 10/
We'd all be better off if we focused more on what people actually contribute to society than what their job is called. 11/
And while we're at it, let's also fess up (at least to ourselves) about where we are with how we see our own work identity... 12/
College: "What are you?" (major)
Entry level: "What are you?" (title)
Getting wiser: "What do you do?" (activities)
Wiser still: "What do you individually contribute?" (impact)
Wisest: "What are you part of?" (contribution through community)
Entry level: "What are you?" (title)
Getting wiser: "What do you do?" (activities)
Wiser still: "What do you individually contribute?" (impact)
Wisest: "What are you part of?" (contribution through community)
Don't assume that people aspire towards the same thing you aspire to. There's no "best" thing to be, except the best possible version of yourself. 14/
If you see a way to play to your strengths and contribute, don't worry if there's no name for it yet - make yourself useful and the shiny labels will follow. Maybe you'll even get to invent your own. 15/
And don't be fooled by folks who don't know what a team is.
Workgroup = people with similar skills organized under one manager. Wastes time competing about who's the best.
Team = people with complementary skills; stronger together than individually. Mutual appreciation. 16/
Workgroup = people with similar skills organized under one manager. Wastes time competing about who's the best.
Team = people with complementary skills; stronger together than individually. Mutual appreciation. 16/
Confession: This used to be me when I was a baby math geek. I took pure math courses not because they were my passion (turns out I prefer applied math + psychology) but because I wanted to get as far away from "artsy" things as possible. Then I grew up a bit and got over myself.
