It has nothing to do with the quality of their work. It simply implies that their work is adequate enough to earn them money.

Yah and that's a modern bastardization of the word. However it's one that seems to have become deeply rooted in colloquial usage.

You should be able to hear my teeth grinding at this proposition.

Professional plumbers?  Really??

 I dunno.   Ya see there is something about a tradesman. When he picks up his tools he brings order to an otherwise chaotic universe.   Avocational experts like engineers and accounts also bring order. 

But Professionals? You gotta be kidding~!!   There's no bloody way I'm going to let some professional touch my oil burner and burn my house down or the front end of my car and send me out on the highway.

There is nothing about a profession - any of them that brings order to the universe.
They don't build things they don't make things. They profess.

No siree you bob~!! I'll take a skilled tradesman any day over some pie in the sky professional.

 But taking the real meaning of the word and trying to apply it to any of the so called professions is a rollicking joke.

Doctors Lawyers Educators  not a single one  is really a profession.  They are all mercenaries. They have abandoned the idea of the higher calling.    You can probably find the occasional educator whose life really is all about education but really the vast majority of them are just into it for the tenure and lifetime benefits.  Doctors are pill pushers who don't do much besides make superficial diagnosis and then refer to a specialist if the usual run of the mill pills won't work.  Lawyers?  You're kidding right?  I know lots  of lawyers and plenty are great people but they are still mostly all just mercenaries.

I think the very idea of making money destroys the very idea of being a professional.

It reduces the higher calling to the tawdry subject of coin. It  reduces the lofty aspirations  to little more than a greedy grasping  clawing at money.

Not  - - mind you - - that there is anything wrong with greed.  After all "Greed is good"

So sayeth the prophet.

Greed equals philanthropy,

Cliff said:

Not  - - mind you - - that there is anything wrong with greed.  After all "Greed is good"

So sayeth the prophet.

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

speaking of money - - - What happened to 1600 Penn Avenue?

I went there to do some panhandling and the whole street was gone.

Not even a construction sign. Just POOF like the aliens did it.

Is that how they built the pyramids?

It wasn't in the Romney/Ryan budget!

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host
Cliff said:

speaking of money - - - What happened to 1600 Penn Avenue?

I went there to do some panhandling and the whole street was gone.

Not even a construction sign. Just POOF like the aliens did it.

Is that how they built the pyramids?

WOW - I take the weekend off and miss all this - 

I consider myself more of a craftsman than a professional - however - i WILL take money in exchange for my projects

Was able yesterday to take a 4 lap ride around Atlanta Motor Speedway driving my own truck.  From now on, I think I will leave it to the professional drivers.  Scarey at worst - BUT - I absolutely loved it.

(Noticed how I got back on topic?)

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

Yah well I  had to trek on down to Elephantine Square to do my panhandling where I didn't get any money but  got rousted by a gang of toughs.