The Pro-Am Revolution

[anotheranon]

Found through Slashdot: From astronomy to activism, from surfing to saving lives, Pro-Ams - people pursuing amateur activities to professional standards - are an increasingly important part of our society and economy.

Despite the tormented classification of "pro-am", I think the researchers might be on to something here. Though the press release seems to focus mainly on amateur astronomers and open source programmers (which are laudable efforts, don't get me wrong), but I also note there are numerous "pro-ams" in the historic costume "hobbyist" community - some of the best regarded researchers out there don't have the "official" training but out of love and fascination have done their work and ultimately lectured/published papers and otherwise been recognized by professional historians/academics.

I aspire to be a costuming/textile "pro-am"; I'm not there yet because there is so much left to learn. No one topic has obsessed me enough to really delve, but hope springs eternal that one day The One will come for me :)

Comments

GO HOBBYISTS!!!!!!!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Most of the useful discoveries and inventions in human history have been the work of so-called amateurs and hobbyists, not "professionals." We'd still be stuck at the "banging the rocks together" stage if folks who hadn't even attended kindergarten hadn't come up with things like pottery, the wheel, writing, etc. :p

[tommdroid.livejournal.com]

though my profession is as a programmer I'm also an amateur in herpetology...and I'm proud to say that we frog/snake/lizard fancier do not make a difference between professionals and amateurs. late night discussions after a nice froglet exhibition does include professionals eagerly receiving advice in frog-breeding from a succeeding amateur and vice versa. it is only natural, and what counts is the result and the amazing animals :)

[nminusone.livejournal.com]

The part of this that really bugs me is that so many people feel the need to be their own amateur doctors, because they aren't happy with the care they're getting otherwise. And for once, I'm not just talking about myself! I've been telling people for years that they need to do this, but it's still sad to see people, independent of anything I ever said, realizing for themselves that it's true.

Ah well...