Humans should be able to . . .

One of the blogs I read nearly every day is The Simple Dollar. I really liked this entry regarding the start of college years.

My favorite quote is:

As Robert Heinlein put it, “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.”

I'll make it my checklist.

change a diaper, YES
plan an invasion, NO
butcher a hog, NO
conn a ship, NO
design a building, NO
write a sonnet, IF I HAD TO
balance accounts, YES
build a wall, YES
set a bone, IF I HAD TO
comfort the dying, YES
take orders, YES
give orders, YES
cooperate, YES
act alone, YES
solve equations, YES
analyze a new problem, YES
pitch manure, YES
program a computer, NO
cook a tasty meal, YES
fight efficiently, NO
die gallantly, YES, ALTHOUGH I REALLY DO ENJOY COMPLAINING