Are you a Renaissance Man?

[Borodog]

So what makes a renaissance man, and how do you stack up? Can you beat swing dancing astrophysicist?

I like to tell people I'm a "Renaissance Man", because I have lots of varied interests and I'm fairly good at everything that I do. I have a Ph.D. in astrophysics, am a college professor and do research, but I'm also a dancer and professional dance instructor. I play the drums and I'm a pretty good sketch artist and cartoonist. I'm good at physics, economics, mathematics, logic, argument, debate, poker, all that left brain [censored], and I'm fairly musical, have good rhythm and balance, am creative and artistic and all that right brain crap.

But does any of that really make me a "Renaissance Man"? I don't think so. I'm pretty good at everything I do, very good at some things, but I don't think I'm great at any of them. Well, that isn't true. I think I'm a great teacher. I teach physics better than much better physicists, and I teach dancing better than much better dancers. I feel like I can explain complex things in ways that are easily understood. But still, that's only one thing, and I'm not a freakish Sklanskyesque savant at anything (I suppose that is good); I am often wrong (sometimes I feel like half my posts in SMP are me conceding errors in the other half of my posts).

I'm not really the "Renaissance Man". I'm the proverbial Jack (or possibly just the 9 or 10) of many trades, King of none.

Is pretty good at everything you do good enough if you're not great at anything?

[Georgia Avenue]

You, and most people who think they are Ren Men, are actually Dilettantes. Not really an insult, just an observation. I'm proud of my dilettantery, but it definitely means I'll never be really really good at anything. Anyway, f--k the ants, the grasshoppers get more leg.

--GA

PS: Did you mean Rennaiance FAIR Men?

[ChicagoTroy]

Ha! I've been thinking about this recently.

This is a tough one, and partly because "pretty good" is so relative. I'd suspect that good enough to be considered a Renaissance Man would mean you'd have to have sufficient skill in at least 2 or 3 areas such that you'd be published/recorded/recognized in some way that would suggest you could do several disparate things at a professional level.

E.g., Steve Martin can do standup and act, is published as a novelist and playwright, and composes music. He seems like a pretty good example, even though that's all related to the arts.

OTOH, I know guys who have lots of random hobbies that they don't have the raw talent to excel in and won't put in the time to get very good. So they rely on moderate ability, light practice, and are pretty good at a few things.

[Borodog]

I suppose dilettante is very apt for a few things, but it isn't really apt for any of my careers (physics, dance, teaching physics and dance). I take those seriously, and consider them the things that I am (at least) very good at. And they are, by definition, professional and not amateur interests.

Interestingly, I think I'm more of a real estate dilettante than a real estate professional. My wife is a pro; I'm probably going to abandon it since I'm teaching/researching during the day and dancing/teaching 4 nights a week now.

[ QUOTE ]
PS: Did you mean Rennaiance FAIR Men?

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't make me post the photo of me with my hair braided.

[jackdaniels]

Excellent thread.

It occured to me during the most recent OOT "What are you the best at" thread that while many people here are the best in one thing or another, the majority of users are people who can be good at many things, while never being the BEST at anything. It is important to note that while I am the best poker player amongst my friends, I don't even rank top 100 on 2p2. The same goes for many other "skills" I have. So, to summarize, while I am not the "best" at anything when compared to all other "bests" in the field, I am often "good" enough at these things to be the "best" of my circle of friends/family etc..

[Borodog]

[ QUOTE ]
Excellent thread.

It occured to me during the most recent OOT "What are you the best at" thread that while many people here are the best in one thing or another, the majority of users are people who can be good at many things, while never being the BEST at anything. It is important to note that while I am the best poker player amongst my friends, I don't even rank top 100 on 2p2. The same goes for many other "skills" I have. So, to summarize, while I am not the "best" at anything when compared to all other "bests" in the field, I am often "good" enough at these things to be the "best" of my circle of friends/family etc..

[/ QUOTE ]

This is an excellent point. This is the size-of-the-pond effect.

[guids]

Im only great at one thing, gambling, even compared to 2p2er's I think my only real talent lies in being able to make money off gambling, or others who gamble.

[tdarko]

"It occured to me during the most recent OOT "What are you the best at" thread that while many people here are the best in one thing or another, the majority of users are people who can be good at many things, while never being the BEST at anything. It is important to note that while I am the best poker player amongst my friends, I don't even rank top 100 on 2p2. The same goes for many other "skills" I have. So, to summarize, while I am not the "best" at anything when compared to all other "bests" in the field, I am often "good" enough at these things to be the "best" of my circle of friends/family etc.."

I don't think you have to be the best in many areas to be a Ren man. Being "great" not "good" would seem appropriate. Just like the Steve Martin example, he isn't the best in any of the examples mentioned b/c only one can be the best at something so then there would be so few to choose from.

Given enough self-awareness you can properly gauge what you are just good at and what you are truly great at. Most people aren't great at anything.

[DING-DONG YO]

and I stay harder than a cinder block, maaaaan!!!

[4_2_it]

I'm definitely not a Renaissance Man as I am not artistic in any sense of the word.

I will have to settle for being a Family Man.