It’s funny that I would’ve made a really good – perhaps even a great – scientist 100 or 150 years ago, but now I’d be considered absolutely terrible due mainly to no real math talent or ability to learn.

Not a whine. Most scientists if they can find jobs at all are poorly paid and can work only in a few places whereas I can make more and work just about anywhere.

I don’t want to be a scientist and never would subject myself to the painful forced education in our society that it requires even if I had the requisite mathematical talent.

I just find it strange and interesting that the very skills that would’ve made me good 150 years ago – very wide knowledge base, ability to synthesize across many areas, etc. – would make me horribly unacceptable in the field now.

Fields change. Needs change. I get that. But I think even so-called “knowledge” fields form cults of expertise that serve as much to lock out and lock up ideas and approaches to them rather than pursuit of truth and human advancement.