US News Professional stone skipper makes it all the way across lake

[KMilz]

So stripping isn't a job? I don't see your point.

 

[Accname]

I wasnt making a point. I was just making sure we were both on the same level.
Although you have argued your point that by your definition beggars and stone skippers are professionals doesnt mean that I agree with your twisted and perverted definition.

 

[KMilz]

What disqualifies them?

 

[Accname]

whom?

 

[KMilz]

What qualities prevent either of those groups from being professionals? Or is it just by some arbitrary choice of yours?

 

[Accname]

Begging and Stone Skipping are not professions to me and thus people who do this can not be professionals.
Begging is not a profession because you dont do anything in exchange for the money. You just get it because people take pity on you. If you were to dance for them, or sing for them, or fight against wild animals for their amusement then it wouldnt be begging anymore and they could be called professionals.

With the Stone Skipper it depends on how he gets paid. If he does like regular shows were he shows off his stone skipping prowness and collects money from the audience then I am fine with calling him a professional. But if it is random people coming up to him and giving him money cause hes awesome then its the same story as with the beggars. People give him money for emotional reasons.

 

[KMilz]

If you were to dance for them, or sing for them, or fight against wild animals for their amusement then it wouldnt be begging anymore and they could be called professionals.

But if it is random people coming up to him and giving him money cause hes awesome then its the same story as with the beggars. People give him money for emotional reasons.

So dancing and singing counts, but stone skipping doesn't? What's the difference?

 

[Accname]

So dancing and singing counts, but stone skipping doesn't? What's the difference?

The difference is whether somebody gives you money so you do something or if you do something and then somebody decides to give you money. Its the cause and reaction.

If you walk across the street and I throw money at you that doesnt make you a professional Street Walker (although that doesnt even sound too bad).
If you give money to a beggar you dont give it to him because he is so good at begging and you want to see more of it. You give money to him because you pity him and try to be a nice person although you know you aint.
But if you give money to a dancer and then that person dances for you then the person is a professional dancer.

 

[KMilz]

Right, just having money thrown at you doesn't make you a professional. But if you have that money thrown at you consistently because you choose to walk across streets regularly in an attempt to have said money thrown at you, then you could call that your occupation.

Professional street performers aren't a thing? Why don't you consider for a moment the opposite of a professional: an amateur. What's the difference between an amateur and a professional? The professional gets paid for doing it. That's all. That's the only difference. That's the only thing that makes someone a professional.

The reason behind why an individual is getting paid has nothing to do with it.

 

[Accname]

You contradict yourself. First you say:

Right, just having money thrown at you doesn't make you a professional.

Then you say:

[A] professional gets paid [...]. That's the only thing that makes someone a professional.

And then you say:

The reason behind why an individual is getting paid has nothing to do with it.

BAM! Contradiction.
If the reason has nothing to do with it then just getting money randomly tossed in your face makes you a professional. In fact, it makes you a professional AT EVERYTHING YOU EVER DID.

 

[KMilz]

Yeah, you can make anything sound right taken out of context. "What's the difference between an amateur and a professional? The professional gets paid for doing it. That's all. That's the only difference. That's the only thing that makes someone a professional."

Add "as compared to an amateur" at the end of the statement and it stands. You sound awful excited over such a flawed observation.

 

[Accname]

Now you say the professional is getting paid for doing it. So a beggar is AGAIN not a professional by your definition UNLESS the people who pay him pay him BECAUSE he is begging. So now there is AGAIN a condition to the payment <=> professional relationship. You have no idea what you want.

 

[KMilz]

What are you babbling about? You're not a beggar if you're not begging for money. People wouldn't pay you if you weren't out begging. I don't even understand what you're trying to say.

 

[Accname]

Look. If you beg somebody for money and he gives you money, does he give you money because you are begging or does he give you money because he wants you to shut the fuck up and get away from him?
The question is, why are you getting paid? Do you get paid for what you do or do you get paid because somebody wants you to do something.

What I say is that you DONT get paid for begging. You get paid for NOT begging. People dont want you to be begging. People want you to get away from them. So if you get money because you are begging you are NOT a professional beggar.

 

[KMilz]

Well, first and foremost, that's stupid. If people wanted you to get away from them, why would they pay you? You're standing still, generally sitting, whereas they're walking. How does paying them money help to get them away from you? And then if you're going to pay someone to do what you don't want them doing, why would you expect anything other than for that person to keep doing what you don't want them to? That's a retarded line of thought.

Bottom line is that if you weren't out on the street begging, you wouldn't be making any money by begging. You are being paid because you're begging, and it's as simple as that.

 

[The Helper]

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