Self taught genius?

This morning I ran into an acquaintance of mine at the grocery store. I politely inquired as to how her son was doing and she lamented that he couldn't find a job in the field that he was interested in; Fish & Game.


She explained that he was "self-taught", which in layman's terms means that he didn't go on to college. And there just weren't any jobs available that didn't involve an internship or some other stretch of time that equated to working without an income purely to enhance and validate your experience.


This got me thinking. It seems that gone are the specialized jobs that do not require extensive schooling. To even get a vocational job (a.k.a. Blue Collar) one has to get an Associate's Degree or some special credentials certifying that you have learned what needs to be learned.  Passing down specialized knowledge through generations of family is slowly ceasing to exist as technological innovation whizzes by at blinding speed; making the aforementioned historical gems obsolete before they even leave grandpa's lips.


On the other hand, this same technology is now available right at your fingertips. It is easier, now more than ever, to become a self-taught genius. Just Google it! You can be an expert at anything from quantum physics, to unplugging whatever is preventing your windshield wiper fluid from squirting onto your windshield. Just don't count on getting a job in your area of newfound expertise... there are plenty of other "professionals" out there and increasing by each click of the keyboard.


Take me, for example. I decided to become a bonsai expert. "This should be easy", I thought. "All the information I need is at my disposal", I mused. Two short years later, I realized I am still missing one critical element to make the desired miniature outcome: talent. Yes, you can be self-taught, and you can even be a genius. But if the talent isn't there, all you are is informed.