Lists of Bests: Specialization Is For Insects http://www.listsofbests.com/list/11652 <a href="http://heinlein.43people.com/">Robert Heinlein's</a> notorious list of things a human being should be able to do. Actually, this was originally spoken by "Lazarus Long, the universe's oldest living human" in Heinlein's 1973 novel <i>Time Enough For Love</i>, but it seems to fit with much of Heinlein's own philosophy. The version of the list that does the rounds apparently also omits one item from the original - "have sex with your mother" for reasons that don't really require elucidation. There's some <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/48658">debate</a> about whether the list is something a <i>single</i> human being should be able to do, or something a population of humans should be able to do. It's also questionable whether the frontier mentality embodied in this quote is, or should be, applicable to modern societies. But it's interesting, if you don't take it too seriously. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:31:52 GMT en-us 0 50 21 0 0 change a diaper http://www.43things.com/things/view/4512 <div id="position">1</div><div id="num-active-people">8</div> plan an invasion http://www.43things.com/things/view/4514 <div id="position">2</div><div id="num-active-people">9</div> butcher a hog http://www.43things.com/things/view/4516 <div id="position">3</div><div id="num-active-people">5</div> conn a ship http://www.43things.com/things/view/4100 <div id="position">4</div><div id="num-active-people">8</div> design a building http://www.43things.com/things/view/4519 <div id="position">5</div><div id="num-active-people">20</div> write a sonnet http://www.43things.com/things/view/4522 <div id="position">6</div><div id="num-active-people">25</div> balance accounts http://www.43things.com/things/view/4503 <div id="position">7</div><div id="num-active-people">7</div> build a wall http://www.43things.com/things/view/4505 <div id="position">8</div><div id="num-active-people">11</div> set a bone http://www.43things.com/things/view/4507 <div id="position">9</div><div id="num-active-people">9</div> comfort the dying http://www.43things.com/things/view/4101 <div id="position">10</div><div id="num-active-people">8</div> take orders http://www.43things.com/things/view/4520 <div id="position">11</div><div id="num-active-people">5</div> give orders http://www.43things.com/things/view/4504 <div id="position">12</div><div id="num-active-people">4</div> cooperate http://www.43things.com/things/view/4506 <div id="position">13</div><div id="num-active-people">6</div> act alone http://www.43things.com/things/view/4508 <div id="position">14</div><div id="num-active-people">3</div> solve equations http://www.43things.com/things/view/4509 <div id="position">15</div><div id="num-active-people">3</div> analyze a new problem http://www.43things.com/things/view/57260 <div id="position">16</div><div id="num-active-people">3</div> pitch manure http://www.43things.com/things/view/4511 <div id="position">17</div><div id="num-active-people">4</div> program a computer http://www.43things.com/things/view/4513 <div id="position">18</div><div id="num-active-people">3</div> cook a tasty meal http://www.43things.com/things/view/4515 <div id="position">19</div><div id="num-active-people">3</div> fight efficiently http://www.43things.com/things/view/4517 <div id="position">20</div><div id="num-active-people">6</div> die gallantly http://www.43things.com/things/view/4518 <div id="position">21</div><div id="num-active-people">7</div>