“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.”
-Robert A. Heinlein
The Thatcher and Reagan era unleashed neo-liberal policies in an unprecedented way, on a global scale; which brought with it the an era of specialization, which turned into super-specialization and now, finally has morphed into hyper specialization. The era of hyper specialization has now created what the industry has come to crudely know as “supertemps”. These “supertemps” are specialized workers that can perform one specific and narrow job of a broader discipline, without a long-term commitment from either side. The economic climate and circumstances of this paradigm makes both, the specialists and corporations, “right swipe” each other in the job market. Much like the popular dating app reference, this arrangement is “no strings attached”. The allure and temptation of hiring supertemps is quite understandable. A supertemp can be paid a handsome fee, and when compared to the expenses of getting brand name consulting firms or the costs associated with hiring and training a full-time employee; the company can still trump the latter and come out ahead. This is especially true in the age of cut throat competition, slim margins and the rising challenge from “disruptors” to the existing status quo.
I think the American sitcom “The Office” was brilliant at capturing the changing face of business in the 21st Century. The show with an ensemble cast which boasted acclaimed actors like Steve Carell, B.J Novak, John Krasinski among others, made searing commentary on what resembles a business struggling with challenges that the changing marketplace and disrupting technology presents. The character of Ryan Howard, essayed by B.J Novak, a talented, ingenious, young MBA graduate is the archetypal “Supertemp” in this hyper specialized economy.
I too realized, in hindsight, in a certain sense, I was a “Supertemp” with a major financial services MNC. Supporting their teams in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Europe and Americas from their office based in Mumbai. The specialized education I pursued in a financial services niche, unwittingly made me a part of the hyper specialized economy. As time passed, I realized I was savvy in a very specific business process within the niche (which ironically is as multi-disciplinary as financial analysis can be); and often wondered how I was getting pigeonholed in the niche, and how it would impact my career over the long run in the face of changing technological landscape. The emergence of ground breaking and innovative technologies like blockchain, self driving cars, virtual assistants, 3D printing and Internet of Things (IoT) powered devices and appliances; had me exploring how I could contribute and be a part of these disruptive technologies ecosystem.
The 90’s kid in me was beyond excited with the prospect of getting to be a part of a movement that could make “The Jetsons” futuristic utopia, a reality. The incentive of futuristic utopia notwithstanding, the intellectual rigor and multi-disciplinary approach of data science is its true selling point, in my humble opinion. The exponential growth of data would without a doubt create a demand for data professionals; I believe it would signal a departure from the hyperspecialized labor market towards a more specialized generalist or a generalized specialist regime. This would mean that we begin to scratch the surface of a paradigm, where we truly realize and explore human potential, with Industrial Revolution 4.0 automating the drudgery of thinking in loops specific to business processes. And thus, I began my journey, diving head first, deep in the world of data science. What awaits me, and anyone who wishes to take the plunge, is a steep learning curve, long hours on the computer, lots of coffee (no complaints there) and a lot of code errors and low key panicking when you inadvertently get stuck on a problem.
But would that be worth leaving behind the comfort of a certain and predictable job? Is that futuristic utopia even a possibility? What if the machines become sentient? I don’t know, you tell me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.No seriously, tell me! Arnold Schwarzenegger can only “be back” so many times.
* AI winter paranoia intensifies*
