The world has entered a second renaissance. A new age of generalists has arrived. (Ten Things, No. 80)

Nov 06, 2026

“The world has entered a second renaissance. A new age of generalists has arrived.”

I’m paraphrasing iconic CDL mentor Bill Brown on some advice he shared with the room during our session. AI gives us all a chance to go both wide and deep. Specialization is great, but more important now is the ability to move laterally and adapt.

You don’t have to go back too far in cultural history to find the ultimate renaissance man. Jean-Luc Picard. I’m late to the party in offering sombre condolences, but the loss of Patrick Stewart was felt by many. And most frequently it was folks’ relationship with his character on Star Trek that created such a deep connection.

Part of the character’s appeal was the breadth of his talents and interests. From diplomacy to survival skills to leadership to archaeology, he showed how we thrive when we don’t limit ourselves to one discipline or role. And he was utterly, unapologetically optimistic. He believed in himself, in others, and in the society around him. He recognized flaws, but never stopped believing in progress.

I’ll quote and endorse Noah Smith’s opinion here:

It is the greatest TV show ever made, not by dint of a difference in degree, but because of a difference in kind. It is a drama of pure optimism. Every other show tries to thrill us by showing us how bad or how ridiculous or how exciting someone else’s world could be; Star Trek: TNG thrills us by showing us how beautiful our own world could become.

I don’t think a character like Picard could capture our attention today, and we are poorer for it. Our attention is fractured. Monoculture is dead. There is no congregating at a fixed time in front of a screen, sitting through the same drama together (sports being the one exception).

And so let me end by sharing a maxim I’ve often applied when I encounter a difficult question:

“What would Jean-Luc Picard do?”