Broadening one's perspective improves the quality and caliber of dialogue and debate because general knowledge becomes a common ground of discussion. Moreover, seeing the broader picture through generalization allows for more educated opinions. Without a general education, specialists tend to stick only to what they know or rely on the opinions of other people, likely other specialists. A generalist can help bridge gaps between disparate areas of expertise, and place differing concepts under a collective rubric. Continuing with the former example, a generalist in religious studies can help specialists in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to discover common ground in theology, scripture, ritual, and tradition.
Because generalization encourages the discovery of a common ground, a generalist can help eliminate bias, prejudice, or elitism within any discipline. As Farley notes, specialization "has some of the trappings of a worldview. To be closely and cognitively focused on, for example, a text, a literature, a historical period or a social entity tends to make one see that object of study as a paradigm of reality." Because of this, specialists can become suspicious of other approaches or other paradigms. A generalist can help bridge the gaps between various areas of specialization and help them to overcome their mutual suspicion. By illuminating common threads, a jack-of-all-trades can help specialists place their theories into a practical context. Otherwise, areas of specialty can become so self-limiting as to become almost useless in the real world. For example, focusing too hard on an aspect of science can cause the researcher to lose focus of how their knowledge can promote human welfare. Specialization can also be personally limiting to the professional, as his or her friends will likely be in the same circles of specialty. Thus, specialists stick together. They may not challenge their worldviews through exposure to ideas other than their own or interact with people outside of their areas of expertise.
In some instances,...
For example, a lawyer specializing in personal injury might have to completely reconsider his or her approach if state laws shifted. Businesses with overly focused areas of specialization can lose considerable revenues if their product or service becomes outdated. Likewise, computer scientists need to be especially wary of developing areas of specialty become new technologies can make older ones completely irrelevant. Similarly, if a chef were to specialize in a certain cuisine, his or her skills would not be marketable if food trends change. Generalists can remain abreast of and open to new developments and new ideas and help the specialist to keep his or her area of interest up-to-date. One of the reasons why department stores, grocery stores, and online vendors like Amazon.com do so well is because they do not narrow their focus too much.
Some specialization is necessary and natural, for human beings should use their natural inclinations and proclivities. Delving deep into a specific area of study enhances learning; without any specialization we would know too little about too much. However, generalists can balance out some of the negative tendencies in a society that over-emphasizes specialization. For instance, specialization can create a narrow-minded worldview and can cultivate elitism. Too much specialization can also cause an entire discipline to fall behind the times, to become too concerned with minutia to appreciate how individual theories can benefit the world at large. Depth of study is essential but breadth is equally as important.
Works Cited
Farley, Edward. "Why Seminaries Don't Change: A Reflection on Faculty Specialization." Online at http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=364.
Hawley, Michael. "Whither the Renaissance Man?" Technology Review. Cambridge: May 2005.Vol.108, Iss. 5; pg. 40, 1 pages http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=822068201&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=12334&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
