Smith Tentative Answer

I found it interesting that the greatest improvement in productive powers of labour is the division of labour. While looking for internships I always wondered about the importance of "supply chain management" as a position, and now I realize that the balance between increasing speed of production (since we live in a fast-paced and convenience-oriented world) and efficiency/cost-efficiency is really important. The three advantageous circumstances are 1) increased dexterity in workers because they only have to learn and focus on one thing, 2) saving time by not transitioning from one work to another (using different places, tools, thinking about something different), and 3) invention of machinery.

However, while people do become really great at one thing and "are more likely to discover efficient methods when attention is given to one object rather than among a variety of things," is it better to be a master of one trade and not know much about others? Though after thinking about it, I also think in order to be a jack of all (or multiple) trades it is likely that you are near mastery of one, since a lot of skills are transferable (or if we include emotional behaviours). In chapter 2, Smith says that the difference in our natural talents is much less than we think, and that the divisions of our genius and professions is not the cause but the effect of division of labour. So the difference between a philosopher and common street worker is not from nature, but from habit, custom, or education. I think this was similar to our discussion in Plato about how we are shaped by our circumstances and experiences, not by what we're born as - Smith says we're all very similar in youth. I think that means that the businessman and pin-maker he described in Chapter 1 could have been the same if they just learned the same profession starting from childhood. 

I also noticed in Chapter 2 that he says man fawns over his people in order to get their attention and goodwill, like a dog. Needing the cooperation and assistance of a great multitude and having to please them all makes him dependent on other people. You have to interest their self-love in your favour and show them the benefit they get out of helping you. This was interesting to read because it was also my mom's argument when she was telling me to study pre-med instead of business since in a healthcare profession you'd be less dependent on other people as a way to earn money (?).