[SPBS]

Hard disagree with the premise. It's disingenuous to pretend there isn't a difference between knowing how to resolve an interpersonal conflict vs knowing the calculations needed to build a bridge. Yes, the skill ceilings may be high, but the skill floor is clearly different.

I'm not downplaying soft skills, by the way. Soft skills are what get you successful in life. And the disdain some people have for soft skills vs hard skills is uncalled for, but that's a separate issue. Technical skills clearly mean something technical.

[AttakBanana]

I would argue that skill floors are subjective, and so maybe there isn't as much difference as we think between the two skills?

[ozim]

There is a chasm of difference between the two skills - it is time.

We have limited time in life - I do like to spend time fooling around with computers, other people like to spend time fooling around with other people.

I am never going to be as good in small talk as someone hanging out with people all the time. The same the other way someone dealing with technical issues all the time will just be so much better at fixing them.

I am also not that much interested in other people, well I have my close friends and family, but if I am in group with strangers I cannot crack a joke - even though I know the structure of a good joke and I can make my friends or coworkers laugh (it is much easier to get correct timing to drop a joke with people you meet on daily basis). Then there are those people who just own the room after 5 minutes mostly because they practiced it.

Yes taking it down to some steps looks like there is no difference - but there is difference on what I am spending my time on.

There is also this gap where you can learn and train javelin throwing for all your life but still you might not even get close to starting in the Olympics - even if you have all the steps of "how to throw a javelin" worked out. So I don't agree you can break something into steps and say "well that's the same thing just do XYZ and it works".

[AttakBanana]

I agree with you. I think I wasn't clear in my comment.

If you like computers, the skill floor for comp sci is lower for you. And if you like talking and cracking jokes, the skill floor for stand-up comedy is lower for you. These are subjective.

So the difference in the skill level required between them in reality might not be vastly different. (Only with regards to the skill floor)