James Kerti

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How to be a multipotentialite

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For a long time I felt like something was wrong with me.

Really wrong.

I’ve heard so many people talk about the importance of specializing.

People in the self-help space espoused the benefits of finding your passion and putting everything you have into becoming great at doing that one thing.

Meanwhile more traditionally-minded folks stuck with rhetoric about how companies don’t want to hire a person who is a jack-of-all-trades. Rather, they want to build their companies around employees who are the best in the world at their particular jobs.

So, specialize. Focus on getting great at doing one thing, either because it’s your passion or because it’s what the markets want.

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Why we have to remember past setbacks

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As I mentioned recently, I’m a frequent reader and occasional contributor on the Ask Historians subreddit.

Earlier this month, a history graduate student asked:

Why, despite its rich 18th century history and involvement in slave-driven agriculture, did Charleston, South Carolina, not become a major American metropolis on par with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia?

I chimed in with the following response, adapted for this format, that others appreciated.

As another response pointed out, it is true that the Civil War had devastating effects on Charleston and other southern cities.

But the city’s troubles started earlier.

In terms of relative population, Charleston was in decline by the Civil War.



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Yachats Candidates Forum

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I’m speaking at the Yachats Candidates Forum tonight for city and county candidates on the ballot in the November election.

I set this entry to go live at 8:25 PM when City Council candidates take the stage.

Below you can read a copy of the opening and closing statements I prepared to give.

Opening Statement

I’m James Kerti. This Friday marks three years since I moved to Yachats.

But I must say, I figured out pretty quickly that Yachats is the place where I feel at home.

I look out and I see a lot of familiar faces tonight. I know from talking with many of you that we all have special stories of feeling called to live in Yachats.

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