From Polymath to 'Tuttologo': The Stigma of Multidisciplinary Knowledge in the Industrial Age

The article explores the pejorative Italian term 'tuttologo' (know-it-all) and its cultural implications. It traces the word's origins to the industrial revolution and the specialization of labor, as theorized by Adam Smith. The authors contrast this with the ancient Greek concept of 'polymathia,' a neutral term for multidisciplinary knowledge. They cite historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Goethe, Lewis Carroll, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Carmelo Bene, Paolo Conte, Enzo Jannacci, and Louis-Ferdinand Céline as examples of revered polymaths. The piece argues that the digital revolution now demands interdisciplinary thinking, similar to the role of the 'fantasista' in football, exemplified by Roberto Baggio, who was often benched by coaches unable to fit him into rigid formations. The authors, Fabrizio Bellomo and Eugenio Vendemiale, critique the societal pressure to specialize and control individuals, suggesting that the 'tuttologo' represents a fluid, unclassifiable intellect closer to the 'ancestral flow of everything.'