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Hypoc · 01-11-2006, 05:48 PM

It seems like everyone who makes a humble post on this site is flamed, or at least given a very condescending rebuttal. I have read many threads here for quite some time and only now decided to post, however quiet I can hope to remain.

The play for perks and free debate, I have my opinions over, but I won't address here since I cannot possibly add something new and insightful. I do want to possibly try to answer the "professional" versus "amateur" labelling.

There are a number of dictionaries we could consult, although I know we all have our personal definitions and understanding of what those two words mean. I'll happen to quote dictionary.com because it is accessible by anyone reading what I'm writing now, and it happens to load quicker for me than most online dictionaries.

professional: adj.
Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people.
Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior.
Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer.
Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.
Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job.

amateur: adj.
Of or performed by an amateur.
Made up of amateurs: an amateur cast.
Not professional; unskillful.

The source is The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

I think these definitions, in their lot, convey the sort of meaning I think most people, (at least in the US, I don't mean to know what anyone else thinks, US or any other nation, that is), but I would like to offer two examples.

First, in porn videos, there are categories. There is an amateur section and there are porn stars, like Jenna Jameson. While I cannot prove this remark, in my personal experience, I've heard people mention Jenna Jameson, (who may be the number one demanded search for porn stars on most search engines, I would bet 10 to 1), far more than they'd say something about amateur videos.

Second is the issue of professional sports. It may not be true for all sports, but in ones I've participated in, including tennis and golf, generally, receiving cash prizes is not permitted for anyone that hasn't "turned pro". (You can receive trophies and insignificant free prizes.) Therefore, a professional tennis player who merely receives cash is not always going to be more skilled or athletic than an amateur tennis player.

However, while there may be some hermit, living in a cave, who has some incredible talent in the sport never seen in any player, past or present, it is generally accepted that professionals ARE BETTER than amateurs. There may be not be a clear borderline between amateurs who only recently turned professional and amateurs who are considering changing, but have decided, for some reason, not to at this point, or ever.

Therefore, professionals could not merely have the rough, generally accepted definition of being merely paid while their counterpart amateurs are not. Through the invitation of more money and more marketing, perhaps, far more people watch the self-qualified expertise of professional athletes and, um, maybe other people.

The implication behind this is that, while this is not any logically rigourous proof, still, it would not be fair to say that anyone claiming that "Hey, don't say that amateurs suck! That's just what you think!", buttonholing people for being small-minded, are necessarily right. While professionals do sometimes invite notoriety in many ways, including the issue of the salaries certain athletes make, still, those athletes who are not professional could not be those who are the most expert in the nation.

01-11-2006, 05:48 PM	#67
Hypoc New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3	It seems like everyone who makes a humble post on this site is flamed, or at least given a very condescending rebuttal. I have read many threads here for quite some time and only now decided to post, however quiet I can hope to remain. The play for perks and free debate, I have my opinions over, but I won't address here since I cannot possibly add something new and insightful. I do want to possibly try to answer the "professional" versus "amateur" labelling. There are a number of dictionaries we could consult, although I know we all have our personal definitions and understanding of what those two words mean. I'll happen to quote dictionary.com because it is accessible by anyone reading what I'm writing now, and it happens to load quicker for me than most online dictionaries. professional: adj. Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people. Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior. Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football. Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job. amateur: adj. Of or performed by an amateur. Made up of amateurs: an amateur cast. Not professional; unskillful. The source is The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. I think these definitions, in their lot, convey the sort of meaning I think most people, (at least in the US, I don't mean to know what anyone else thinks, US or any other nation, that is), but I would like to offer two examples. First, in porn videos, there are categories. There is an amateur section and there are porn stars, like Jenna Jameson. While I cannot prove this remark, in my personal experience, I've heard people mention Jenna Jameson, (who may be the number one demanded search for porn stars on most search engines, I would bet 10 to 1), far more than they'd say something about amateur videos. Second is the issue of professional sports. It may not be true for all sports, but in ones I've participated in, including tennis and golf, generally, receiving cash prizes is not permitted for anyone that hasn't "turned pro". (You can receive trophies and insignificant free prizes.) Therefore, a professional tennis player who merely receives cash is not always going to be more skilled or athletic than an amateur tennis player. However, while there may be some hermit, living in a cave, who has some incredible talent in the sport never seen in any player, past or present, it is generally accepted that professionals ARE BETTER than amateurs. There may be not be a clear borderline between amateurs who only recently turned professional and amateurs who are considering changing, but have decided, for some reason, not to at this point, or ever. Therefore, professionals could not merely have the rough, generally accepted definition of being merely paid while their counterpart amateurs are not. Through the invitation of more money and more marketing, perhaps, far more people watch the self-qualified expertise of professional athletes and, um, maybe other people. The implication behind this is that, while this is not any logically rigourous proof, still, it would not be fair to say that anyone claiming that "Hey, don't say that amateurs suck! That's just what you think!", buttonholing people for being small-minded, are necessarily right. While professionals do sometimes invite notoriety in many ways, including the issue of the salaries certain athletes make, still, those athletes who are not professional could not be those who are the most expert in the nation.