I like that statement that "the more time people spend
convincing themselves that they are in a profession, the
less likely it is that they actually are (or words to that
effect.)." I have a friend who is married to a member of the
AAPREA. What's that? The American Association of
*Professional* Real Estate Appraisers. My friend confided in
me that it makes her nuts when her husband introduces
himself as a "professional real estate appraiser." She
wonders "would anybody do that as an amateur?"
Its kind of interesting how focused we are on
professionalism, in a historical context. It wasnt a century
ago that the British ethos of amateurism prevailed in
scientific practice and museum practice. I know it may seem
like fuzzy nostalgia, but that pretense of humility is much
more appealing to me than the kind of hard-edged pretense of
expertise.
I know that I, with a terminal degree in Arts
Administration, and a bunch of experience have always shied
away from identifying myself as an "arts administrator," let
alone a "professional arts adminstrator."
Eric Siegel
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