Post by @vnikolov@ieji.de

2026-09-26 17:40 UTC

By the way, there is at least a third case: not being a professional, but "getting one's hands dirty" together with professionals, perhaps doing some auxiliary tasks. I would say this is a little more than merely being an enthusiast. And this greatly «enables one to glean wisdom from others’ experiences and perspectives». @AmenZwa@mathstodon.xyz @darkuncle@infosec.exchange @skewray@mathstodon.xyz

Replies (1)

@AmenZwa@mathstodon.xyz 2026-09-26 18:13

@vnikolov@ieji.de @darkuncle@infosec.exchange @skewray@mathstodon.xyz Very true. By the way, my original post was my attempt to brighten the lines that divide “professional”, “practitioner”, “enthusiast”, and “dilettante”. In regulated professions, the line between a professional and a practitioner is clear: education and licensure. But in unregulated fields, the divide between these two ranks is rather thin and smudged. One would assume that everyone would be aware of the huge gash that divides a professional from a dilettante, but that is no longer the case in today’s “every influencer is a professional” mindset. Perhaps this lot views the above partial order as circular, so the dilettante blends smoothly into professional, from the opposite end.🤷‍♂️ In my view, one who occasionally plays Sudoku on his mobile while waiting to board a flight ought not label himself a “mathematician”.

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