--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Professionalism is environmental…" description: "\"Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti-environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateuris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a68/marshall-mcluhan-641_amateur_professionalism-is-environmental-amateur_47552.jpg" --- # Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is… ![“Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti-environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness of the individual and the critical aware- ness of the groundrules of society. The amateur can afford…” quote by Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a68/marshall-mcluhan-641_amateur_professionalism-is-environmental-amateur_47552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a68/marshall-mcluhan-641_amateur_professionalism-is-environmental-amateur_47552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a68/marshall-mcluhan-641_amateur_professionalism-is-environmental-amateur_47552.jpg) > “Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti-environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness of the individual and the critical aware- ness of the groundrules of society. The amateur can afford to lose. The professional tends to classify and to specialize, to accept uncritically the groundrules of the environment. The groundrules provided by the mass response of his colleagues serve as a pervasive environment of which he is contentedly and unaware. The expert is the man who stays put.” [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professionalism aligns individuals with existing systems, while amateurism emphasizes personal awareness and questioning of societal norms. **In simple terms:** Professionalism integrates; amateurism challenges. Key Takeaway Professionalism follows rules; amateurism questions them. Themes identity systems conformity awareness expertise Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - career development - creative projects - organizational change - personal growth Key Concepts environment groundrules specialization critical thinking Practical Applications - leadership training - innovation workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does conformity affect creativity? - When is it valuable to resist established norms? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amateurism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateurism/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Professionalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professionalism/) ## Related quotes > [Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/professionalism-is-environmental-amateurism-is-anti-environmental-2/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti-environmental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/professionalism-is-environmental-amateurism-is-anti-environmental-3/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness of the individual and the critical awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/professionalism-merges-the-individual-into-patterns-of-total/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“a modern-day conservator of Monticello says that Woodmont Jefferson as an amateur architect rather than a professional was that he made things more complicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/a-modern-day-conservator-of-monticello-says-that-woodmont-jefferson/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [We can't have one group that oversees everything and then they define what amateurism is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/we-can-t-have-one-group-that-oversees-everything-and-then-they-define/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [I think somebody who is more self-reflective should ask why they personally aren't going on that path. If amateurism is so great, why didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/i-think-somebody-who-is-more-self-reflective-should-ask-why-they/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [If you offer athletes stipends, then you're into pay-for-play, and that's the ballgame. People should realize that, and they should realize that amateurism never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/if-you-offer-athletes-stipends-then-you-re-into-pay-for-play-and-that/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [This amateurism however, can sometimes be helpful in forging a style; you have to work around your weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bruford/this-amateurism-however-can-sometimes-be-helpful-in-forging-a-style/) [Bill Bruford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bruford/) > [Amateurism has its place in government, in journalism and also on the tennis court, but lack of expertise means politicians routinely promise far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/amateurism-has-its-place-in-government-in-journalism-and-also-on-the/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [What would be wrong with letting a kid go pro, and if it doesn't work out he can come back to college? What's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-vaccaro/what-would-be-wrong-with-letting-a-kid-go-pro-and-if-it-doesn-t-work/) [Sonny Vaccaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-vaccaro/) > [There was all this enthusiasm about amateurism and the idea that people could now just make videos in their bedroom, or blog news stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/there-was-all-this-enthusiasm-about-amateurism-and-the-idea-that/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [“Don’t worry, for now, about how you’ll make money or a career off it. Forget about being an expert or a professional, and wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-worry-for-now-about-how-you-ll-make-money-or-a-career-off-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Amateurism is the strongest form of discrimination in sports. Because it discriminates against the underprivileged, it discriminates against the poor. If we want sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-lewis/amateurism-is-the-strongest-form-of-discrimination-in-sports-because/) [Carl Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-lewis/) > [Sometime I'm going to do an essay called 'The Virtues of Amateurism' for all of those people who wish they earned their living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-james-waller/sometime-i-m-going-to-do-an-essay-called-the-virtues-of-amateurism/) [Robert James Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-james-waller/) > [Avoiding any of the tenets of amateurism, after all, certainly does not make you a good professional. Perhaps it is better to see fearless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-smith/avoiding-any-of-the-tenets-of-amateurism-after-all-certainly-does-not/) [Edward Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-smith/) ## More by Marshall McLuhan > [Even mud gives the illusion of depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/even-mud-gives-the-illusion-of-depth/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Language always preserves a play or figure/ground relation between experience, and perception and its replay in expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/language-always-preserves-a-play-or-figure-ground-relation-between/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Electronic man has no physical body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/electronic-man-has-no-physical-body/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [I am curious to know what would happen if art were suddenly seen for what it is, namely, exact information of how to rearrange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/i-am-curious-to-know-what-would-happen-if-art-were-suddenly-seen-for/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [With the arrival of electric technology, man has extended, or set outside himself, a live model of the central nervous system itself. To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/with-the-arrival-of-electric-technology-man-has-extended-or-set/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“The constant broadcast and reception of ghostly images via radio and television, according to this notion, had weakened the sense, particularly among youth, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-constant-broadcast-and-reception-of-ghostly-images-via-radio-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Every innovation scraps its immediate predecessor and retrieves still older figures – it causes floods of antiques or nostalgic art forms and stimulates the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/every-innovation-scraps-its-immediate-predecessor-and-retrieves-still/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The family circle has widened. The worldpool of information fathered by the electric media--movies, Telstar, flight--far surpassesany possible influence mom and dad can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-family-circle-has-widened-the-worldpool-of-information-fathered/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Like primitive, we now live in a global village of our own making, a simultaneous happening. It doesn't necessarily mean harmony and peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/like-primitive-we-now-live-in-a-global-village-of-our-own-making-a/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The visual power of the phonetic alphabet is the translate other languages into itself is part of its power to invade right hemisphere (oral)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-visual-power-of-the-phonetic-alphabet-is-the-translate-other/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [New media may at first appear as mere codes of transmission for older achievement and established patterns of thought. But nobody could make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/new-media-may-at-first-appear-as-mere-codes-of-transmission-for-older/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Youth instinctively understand the present environment - the electric drama. It lives mythically and in depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/youth-instinctively-understand-the-present-environment-the-electric/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Our motor car is our supreme form of privacy when we are away from home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/our-motor-car-is-our-supreme-form-of-privacy-when-we-are-away-from/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The scientist rigorously defends his right to be ignorant of almost everything except his specialty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-scientist-rigorously-defends-his-right-to-be-ignorant-of-almost/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“Language is metaphor in the sense that it not only stores but translates experience from one mode into another. Money is metaphor in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/language-is-metaphor-in-the-sense-that-it-not-only-stores-but/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) [Explore all 433 Marshall McLuhan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) ## More Amateur quotes > [“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-amateur-doesn-t-appreciate-the-need-for-experimentation-he-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I did a musical when I was 17, an amateur show, and I loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taron-egerton/i-did-a-musical-when-i-was-17-an-amateur-show-and-i-loved-it/) [Taron Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taron-egerton/) > [Every artist was first an amateur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-artist-was-first-an-amateur/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) Alan Sheinwald > [I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/i-think-most-amateurs-dread-playing-a-180-plus-yard-par-3-even-more/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [I read a lot of 'Nancy Drew' books as a kid and considered myself a bit of an amateur detective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cain/i-read-a-lot-of-nancy-drew-books-as-a-kid-and-considered-myself-a-bit/) [Chelsea Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cain/) > [You count a man's U.S. Amateur titles after he starts winning professional majors. That's something any intelligent golf writer with a sense of history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jenkins/you-count-a-man-s-u-s-amateur-titles-after-he-starts-winning/) [Dan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jenkins/) > [Most amateurs are so worried about mis-hitting the shot or hitting it off line, they don't make an aggressive move. You'd be surprised how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-bradley/most-amateurs-are-so-worried-about-mis-hitting-the-shot-or-hitting-it/) [Keegan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-bradley/) > [Amateur boxing is one of the safest sports around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-calzaghe/amateur-boxing-is-one-of-the-safest-sports-around/) [Joe Calzaghe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-calzaghe/) > [“Amateur: One reckless enough to risk being interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barringer/amateur-one-reckless-enough-to-risk-being-interesting/) David Barringer > [Time management is probably the biggest thing I've had to learn to deal with being on the PGA Tour, whether it be media or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-fowler/time-management-is-probably-the-biggest-thing-i-ve-had-to-learn-to/) [Rickie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-fowler/) > [When people buy, rescue, or otherwise acquire a dog from unscrupulous breeders or amateur rescue groups, they are making a decision with ethical consequences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/when-people-buy-rescue-or-otherwise-acquire-a-dog-from-unscrupulous/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [The amateur software engineer is always in search of magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grady-booch/the-amateur-software-engineer-is-always-in-search-of-magic/) [Grady Booch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grady-booch/) Browse all 352 Amateur quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Professionalism is environmental. 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