Communication of conservation information

As I was reading Jack Thompson's recent effort to establish what he
called "a context for the discussion" on the debate regarding
quality of questions on the distribution list,  I had to wonder what
he meant by "AIC is renewing a drive for professionalism, which
always occurs at the expense of the profession.  One need only study
history to learn that lesson."  This is a very significant statement
which carries a lot of hidden insinuations.  I think we could all
benefit from him being a bit more specific.  Does he mean the
history of the AIC?  Certainly the pursuit of professionalism in
general can not be blamed, in general, for the woes of all
professions or callings through out history.  Indeed without such a
pursuit, would we have professions?  Standards of practice?
Agreements of integrity and assurances of quality?  What exactly is
the context which is being attempted here?

Jerry Podany
Head of Antiquities Conservation
J. Paul Getty Museum

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:92
                  Distributed: Thursday, May 14, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-92-009
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