Carl,
I'm glad that you enjoyed the piece and more so that it caused some interesting introspection. Like you, I've done some of the same things I criticise in this piece in the past and note that it's still not healthy. Positive change should be an ongoing requisite in our lives.
You write:
"Finally, a remark about words. Bonsai Today commonly uses the word "enthusiast" to describe the non-professional bonsai artist. Presumably this is a translation of a Japanese word that does not carry the negative connotations associated with "hobbyist?"
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I like the word "enthusiast" and use it often (even named my journal with it in its first incarnation). However, my point with the names was how we tend to avoid the term "artist," but discourage those who don't behave as artists. We paint ourselves into a seemingly neutral corner with terms like "bonsaiist," which we believe leaves us room to criticize those who don't do what "bonsaiists" are supposed to do - make trees and not buy them.
The term "enthusiast" is an excellent term and leaves room for just about everyone in our endeavor, but the behavior as exhibited by most organizations and many in online forums tends to more narrowly define what an "enthusiast" should be or do. Not good and it often smacks of hypocrisy.
I'm not sure that many us recognize it when we intellectually contradict ourselves and demonstrate this kind of hypocrisy. I know that I did not - and may still not in some instances. That does not make it right, however. Might be good to examine the issue once in a while. ;-)
Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
http://www.bonsai365.com/ :: living bonsai every day
zone 8, Texas