Who do you wanna be when the shit hit the fan? Expert in aerodynamic or able to shut off the fan and clean up? One thing don’t have to exclude the other but all my life I have tried to learn new stuff and to know a bit of a lot that makes me happy and confident. I’m no expert in anything but I’m ok in a lot.
I was listening to the radio the other day and they was talking about generalist. I had never heard that word in that context, a person who know a lot about many things but not an expert in one thing. Sometimes when I hear things explained it’s like they talk about me. So now I know I’m a generalist and before I knew I was autodidact, an autodidact generalist thats something to be proud of:) I have always described my self in that way but generalist was a new thing.
For me I think it’s a wish to be independent, or as independent as possible. There is a special satisfaction to be able to solv problems or do things with collected knowledge and abilities. Another part of the definition was a lack of career in the sense of climbing the ladder to the top of one thing. Jumping from one thing to another off interest and curiosity and not as a strategy to to reach a position. I have had so many jobs in so many different branches, from low pay to high pay, from big responsibility to less responsibility and vice versa. Almost every change have com from curiosity. My longest job have been what I have now, self employed photographer, before that I change every other year. Maybe that was the goal of all these generalistic and autodidact years.
If me as an generalist have come from my wish to be independent my way of learning as an autodidact comes from my problem with authorities. I could never stay in school but I didn’t think I was stupid, I just wanna do it my way when I want it. That and a bit of obstinacy, my father realised that early and if he wanted me to do something he said don’t do that and then it was done. Easy manipulated yo can say;) I read and try, looking for knowledge and try to use it I reality. Some times I go a workshop but I can’t keep focus more then a couple of days. So the wokshop I’m gonna attend this summer are just three days, I think I can fix it. Hans Jonsson have a workshop in wet plate photography that I’m looking forward to. He is extremely skilled and this have been on my to do list for a long time.
End of rambling
