4 ms·

I appreciate your positive attitude toward expanding one's skillset, and I agree that he should remove "I am not a designer". But I believe the creator when he

by lowboy 13y ago

I appreciate your positive attitude toward expanding one's skillset, and I agree that he should remove "I am not a designer". But I believe the creator when he says that he is not a designer, and I don't think it would be appropriate for us to say that he is a designer at this point. I like cooking, and I can make some tasty meals, but I am not a chef. I like drawing things in my notebook here and there, but I am not an artist. I enjoy the occasional minor home improvement/repair project (renter) and woodworking challenge, but I am not a contractor nor a woodworker. I've been making web sites and apps for a decade now, and I am a developer. I've been taking photos for a good part of that decade as well and I am a photographer (mostly amateur, though I have made some money from it). Declaring yourself "a ______" in this way implies that you have achieved some level of experience, or at least that you are devoting or have devoted a significant chunk of time to the pursuit. I just don't know if the creator has put in this time, or considers it a significant enough pursuit to call himself a designer.

chasing 13y ago
I get what you're saying, but disagree. "Chef" kind of already means "professional cook" and "contractor" is kind of a legal term when it comes to construction, but if you draw in your notebook, you're definitely an artist. You may not be a good one! And you may not be professional. But who cares? This is why we have qualifiers: "I'm an award-winning chef." "I'm a world-renowned artist." "I'm a professional designer." Of course you shouldn't go around calling yourself a doctor just because you once successfully took an aspirin to get rid of a headache. But when it comes to creative endeavors, I think more people should be proud of the creative act itself, even if it's not great on some objective scale. And I wish more people would attempt casual acts of creativity. And I think those who do deserve to wear the title of "artist, "designer," "cook," "painter," "writer," or whatever.
- lowboy 13y ago
  I too wish people would attempt casual acts of creativity and be more proud of the creative act itself. But they can do that without being "a(n) ______" after their first and possibly only attempt. I'm not saying that there needs to be an objective standard of quality or number of hours put into an endeavour - even a terrible fisherman is still a fisherman if s/he practices it. But I wouldn't go fishing once and declare myself a fisherman if I had no followup experience. If I were to say "I'm a fisherman" in conversation, I think it would demonstrate a lack of common understanding about what that sentence implies, or duplicity at worst (trying to curry favour from a fishing enthusiast boss, for example). I get what you're saying and I know you're coming from a positive place. I just think that it runs counter to the common interpretation of "a(n) _____", and I'd rather preserve that interpretation because it's useful.

by lowboy 13y ago

chasing 13y ago

I get what you're saying, but disagree. "Chef" kind of already means "professional cook" and "contractor" is kind of a legal term when it comes to construction, but if you draw in your notebook, you're definitely an artist. You may not be a good one! And you may not be professional. But who cares? This is why we have qualifiers: "I'm an award-winning chef." "I'm a world-renowned artist." "I'm a professional designer." Of course you shouldn't go around calling yourself a doctor just because you once successfully took an aspirin to get rid of a headache. But when it comes to creative endeavors, I think more people should be proud of the creative act itself, even if it's not great on some objective scale. And I wish more people would attempt casual acts of creativity. And I think those who do deserve to wear the title of "artist, "designer," "cook," "painter," "writer," or whatever.

lowboy 13y ago
I too wish people would attempt casual acts of creativity and be more proud of the creative act itself. But they can do that without being "a(n) ______" after their first and possibly only attempt. I'm not saying that there needs to be an objective standard of quality or number of hours put into an endeavour - even a terrible fisherman is still a fisherman if s/he practices it. But I wouldn't go fishing once and declare myself a fisherman if I had no followup experience. If I were to say "I'm a fisherman" in conversation, I think it would demonstrate a lack of common understanding about what that sentence implies, or duplicity at worst (trying to curry favour from a fishing enthusiast boss, for example). I get what you're saying and I know you're coming from a positive place. I just think that it runs counter to the common interpretation of "a(n) _____", and I'd rather preserve that interpretation because it's useful.