From Generalist to Master: Reclaiming Depth in a Surface-Level Society
From Generalist to Master: Reclaiming Depth in a Surface-Level Society In a recent conversation with an elder, a powerful truth surfaced—one that continues to rattle my spirit and demand attention. As I reflect on it, I’m not sure if I’ve written about it directly, but I know it shows up in our work, our walk, and our struggles. And it’s this: We are drowning in general knowledge. Our culture today celebrates the idea of being a jack-of-all-trades—a so-called master of everything. We toss around terms like multidisciplinary and well-rounded as if they are inherently empowering. But I fear we’re missing something vital: depth . Real power does not come from shallow waters. It comes from those who dive deep. The Myth of General Knowledge We live in a time when it’s easy to learn just enough to sound informed. Just enough to be dangerous. Just enough to be wrong . This is the Dunning-Kruger effect in motion—when people overestimate their understanding after a surface-level encou...