two paths to polymathy; leonardo da vinci as an intentional polymath, benjamin franklin as an opportunistic polymath; some shameless-self promotion; a challenge to technologists to embrace the new and still-evolving digital world

1. from glider
to gulf stream

2. ben vandgrift
@bvandgrift
ben@vandgrift.com
ben.vandgrift.com

3. http://thinkrelevance.com

4. What do you do?

5. PANIC!

6. interchangeable parts
attaching interchangeable parts

7. wrong.

8. graphic design copy editor seo expert
office manager front end developer
javascript developer ruby developer clojure
developer software engineer architect
business developer ux developer project
manager coach chief technical officer
director of technology services developer
rest developer quality assurance engineer
network engineer system administrator
devops engineer social media expert
human resources recruiting consultant
“You are not your job.”
-- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

9. GTFO

10. “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.”

11. “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.”

12. specialization - no.

13. specialization - no.
generalization - also no.

14. specialization - no.
generalization - also no.
WAT ??!

15. polymath.
“do all the things.”
n. ˈpä-lē-ˌmath a person of
encyclopedic learning

16. shameless self-
promotion

17. the
sticks

19. There’s nothing I hate
more than not knowing
everything.”
“
-- Alton Brown, Culinary Jesus, Polymath

20. farmer home builder electrician plumbe
newspaper editor disc jockey dishwash
accountant student tutor pizza driver,
musician poet architecture student, civ
engineer author factory worker sketch
artist system administrator cook
webmaster, javascript developer web
designer print designer photographer
application developer brewer game
designer software architect marketing
director founder
mentor cto public speaker
I’vehadalotofjobs.

21. What do you do?

22. I solve problems.

23. ben vandgrift, polymath
someday.

24. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci,
polymath. (1451-15??)

26. 1466
Leonardo the Student

34. 1472
Leonardo the Doctor

38. 1480
Leonardo the Artist

39. literature philosophy visual arts
history dance communication
linguistics law civics
rhetoric performing arts
classics political science music
theater religion anthropology
Humanities

40. Lorenzo de Medici
(portrait by Giorgio Vasari)

41. “... and I also paint.”
-- LdV

43. from: ‘On Divine Proportions’
Luca de Paccioli, 1509

44. 1502
Leonardo the Engineer
(finally)

48. painting sculpture drafting
architecture chemistry metallurgy
metal working plaster casting
leather working mechanics
carpentry light optics geometry
topography anatomy botany
cartography physiology geology
hydrodynamics music astronomy
city planning architecture defense
strategy warfare flight
notacompletelist

49. Benjamin Franklin,
polymath. (1706-1790)

51. 1718-1723
apprentice, journalist,
vagabond

52. headline: “Jack of all Trades”

53. Ye OnionApril 1, 1790 volume #4 issue #2

55. 1723-1790
printing and publishing

57. 1733
B. Franklin, author

58. 1724
humanist, humanitarian

59. Not Just Coffee, in 7th St Market, Charlotte NC

62. As to their studies, it
would be well if they could
be taught every thing that
is useful and every thing
that is ornamental”
“
from “Proposals relating to the education of youth in Pensilvania”

63. University of Pennsylvania

64. designbyTomLane-gingermonkeydesign.com

67. 1748-1790
polymath

69. this is not a picture of a
urinary catheter.
you’re welcome.

70. from: mrsciguy.com/physics/staticelectricity.html

72. past present future
People
Food
Malthus’ Dilemma

74. author printer political theorist
politician postmaster scientist
musician inventor satirist civic
activist statesman diplomat
governor ambassador investor
librarian demographer researcher
lawyer philanthropist meteorologis
oceanographer minister physicist
geologist public speaker theologian
patron spokesman
also,revolutionary.

75. full-stack
developers
a word about

76. full-stack
developers
are still specialists

80. (the people are monads)

81. specialist?
generalist?
legendary.

82. thank you
fonts: FFF Tusj, Outlaw, Junction, PlainBlack
textures: Mayang Adnin
special thanks to: @russolsen and @parenteau