What Is A "Professional"?

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

It's a fairly meaningless distinction in a classless society anyway, IMO. "Professional" is a designation that gets passed around like VP titles at a bank.

Which one wears hopsack?


- B

 

[Mark from Plano]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Which one wears hopsack?


- B

Am I now required to read all 15 pages of that mind numbing thread before I will be able to get this joke?

Thanks for that, Vox.

Bastard.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

It's a fairly meaningless distinction in a classless society anyway, IMO. "Professional" is a designation that gets passed around like VP titles at a bank.

Important because bankers are not, traditionally, professionals. Although accountants, since they self-govern, have licensing, and owe duties to their clients, are.

Fuggin' bankers.

 

[Tangfastic]

I'd say any job that generally requires a dedicated degree or post graduate qualification or equivalent experience, probably goverened by a chartered institute which may set entrance exams to gain membership.

As to manual labour, I considered myself a professional when working in field archaeology which is largely manual work. Some engineers must get their hands dirty occasionally too. Surveying is another manual profession.

 

[Fuuma]

Professionals is now a term designing white collar workers with graduate degrees. Their defining characteristic is that they occupy positions that could simply be abolished instead of merely being fungible.

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

I remember learning that classically, the five professions were considered to be physician, clergy, lawyer, military officer and (I can't remember the fifth). The standard was the need for advanced training and the mastery of a large body of knowledge. It was distinguished from the various trades and merchants.

It's probably not a distinction that has much meaning today. "Trade" or "tradesman" has taken on a less prestigious meaning today so that even classical tradesmen refer to themselves as professional plumbers or professional electricians or whatever.

It's a fairly meaningless distinction in a classless society anyway, IMO. "Professional" is a designation that gets passed around like VP titles at a bank.

We'll get to discuss that when we find a classless society...

 

[LA Guy]

I learned, in the course of my Engineering education that what distinguishes a "professional" from mere mortals is that a member of a profession has a special obligation to his client because he has privileged knowledge upon which the wellbeing (physical or spiritual) of his clients depends. In Canada, at least, professions are limited to: Engineer, Physician, Lawyer, Clergy.

Ha! Wikipedia agrees with me:

" A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain."

I remember that the last part was important. Very Confucian - mercantilism is seen as base.

 

[LabelKing]

People who wear Dockers.

 

[eztantz]

A professional is a person who knows very much about very little and continues to learn more and more about less and less until eventually he knows practically everything about almost nothing at all.

 

[adobe10]

Originally Posted by Tck13

I thought, traditionally, that a "professional" was a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Architect... But is it really? Why isn't a Salesperson a professional? Why isn't a Retail Manager a "professional"?

I noticed this on a dating website and it got me to thinking... Some women say that they are interested in men who are "professionals" but, to me, that just means they want someone with a lot of money. "Lottery Winner" is probably just as "professional" to them as long as they're "rich"...

But of course, this is off the topic.
professional is someone who people pay to do what they are good at doing.
so salesperson - if he is paid to sell, (just about anything) then he is a professional seller.
tennis player - paid to play tennis
doctor - paid to apply medical principles (same with lawyer)

those lawyers who are not paid to practice, are not professionals.

 

[Eason]

Originally Posted by eztantz

A professional is a person who knows very much about very little and continues to learn more and more about less and less until eventually he knows practically everything about almost nothing at all.

This is great, is it your quote?

 

[Hombre Secreto]

A Professional is someone with an extraordinary knowledge, and skill of what they do. IMO the skill HAS TO BE something that takes at least 10 years to master like cooking. Basically anything that can't possibly be taught in a 6 week course.

 

[eztantz]

Originally Posted by Eason

This is great, is it your quote?
Not exactly mine - I believe it's a famous anomymous quote about some specific position although I'm not sure exactly which one. I plugged in professional as it fit well here.

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by eztantz

A professional is a person who knows very much about very little and continues to learn more and more about less and less until eventually he knows practically everything about almost nothing at all.

Best definition ever.

Originally Posted by Hombre Secreto

A Professional is someone with an extraordinary knowledge, and skill of what they do. IMO the skill HAS TO BE something that takes at least 10 years to master like cooking. Basically anything that can't possibly be taught in a 6 week course.

Worst definition ever.

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by eztantz

A professional is a person who knows very much about very little and continues to learn more and more about less and less until eventually he knows practically everything about almost nothing at all.

Everyone thinks it's all fun and games until they actually need one of these professionals. Then, all of a sudden, they hope the jokes aren't true and they realize how valuable that professional's knowledge really is.