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

Re: GO HOBBYISTS!!!!!!!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

***chuckles*** You've just made me realize that the two books reflect the pro/amateur thing as well. One is written by a scientist. The other is by a non-scientist who has been fascinated by the Tsavo lions most of his life, after seeing the Field Museum specimens when he was a boy; he wrote his book after finally achieving his dream trip to Tsavo in middle age and getting to hang out with the scientists who were there studying the lions. :-)