What do you consider a well rounded individual?

[93EXCivic]

This topic stems somewhat from the dress watch topic but it got me thinking what makes someone a well rounded individual.

Is it someone who can discuss everything art to technical subjects (aka a wide range of knowledge) or someone who is in shape both physically and mentally or a combination of the two or something else?

And do you consider yourself a well rounded individual? Is it something that is even important to you?

Personally I can talk for hours about cars or watches or composite materials or the design of suspension system or sports but my knowledge of the arts is somewhat lacking. I took four years of art in high school and have been to a lot of great art museums but I can't really hold a very long intelligent discussion on art. And I couldn't tell you the first thing about classic music or opera or realistically jazz (even though I do like jazz). I am in decent shape from playing two seasons of soccer a year and three seasons of ultimate frisbee. I am also fairly handy in that I can repair cars, do basic machining (ie operate a mill, lathe, grinder, etc) and do composite layups. I would not consider myself a well rounded person though mostly due to my lack of arts knowledge.

[Matt]

As a certified smartarse, I'd be the first to say that knowledge doesn't make a well rounded individual, decency does. Someone who is kind, considerate and thoughtful is usually going to be able to make up for a lack of knowledge.

Mind you, composite cars with arcane suspension, what's not to talk about?

[is that my watch]

got to be homer j simpson or did I not read the question right you can't get a rounder guy haha

[geoffbot]

Jazz is considered more high brow than rap, but neither is superior. The same can be said for an, say, fine art vs computer games. To me 'well rounded' is synonymous to 'good all-rounder' - someone who can fit in with most crowds and appreciate most things. Not someone like metlin, who would criticise your wearing of a tie bar with a tweed jacket, but someone like me, who would ask what a tie bar is for, then appreciate the knowledge in the answer.

[Der Amf]

Someone with no more than 150 posts on any one internet forum

[93EXCivic]

As a certified smartarse, I'd be the first to say that knowledge doesn't make a well rounded individual, decency does. Someone who is kind, considerate and thoughtful is usually going to be able to make up for a lack of knowledge.

Mind you, composite cars with arcane suspension, what's not to talk about?

You bring up a good point. I feel like manners/ decency is an important part of being a well rounded individual.

What about travels? Wit? Dress?

A Carbon Kevlar monocoque chassis with a sliding pillar front suspension and a rear swing axle would make an interesting car though.


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[Nokie]

Dignity, pride, self respect, courtesy toward others, generosity, the ability to made something good out of something bad, and humility.

[Seriously]

What I do know from elsewhere is the written word doesn't tell you what the other person is reeeeally like.

I'm actually a ****, but I come across as a right darling

[Matt]

You bring up a good point. I feel like manners/ decency is an important part of being a well rounded individual.

What about travels? Wit? Dress?

A Carbon Kevlar monocoque chassis with a sliding pillar front suspension and a rear swing axle would make an interesting car though.


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I guess my point is that if a person is basically decent, then everything follows.

As for the car, I don't know, my composite monocoque car uses hydraulically interlinked nitrogen suspension and seems to get the job done.

[MHe225]

Person with the lowest surface-to-volume ratio??

John Britten was a well rounded individual - not only could he talk about composite materials and suspension, he designed the stuff himself and then built it too. And while at it, why not design the engine too, build it yourself (even made his own sand-castings) and end up with a competitive racing machine (motorcycle) that gave the multi-million factory teams a run for their money. He died way too young and then his hometown got destroyed a few years ago. If you have an hour or so to spare .....

Okay, I'm a fan and John is one of my several personal heroes. Maybe we should have a thread on those