What Makes a True Professional?

[Andrasta]

I was reading through a website just now which offers information for training at an investigation institute. (Trying not to name names here because the point is not to give opinion one way or another as to the validity of what they're doing.) Apparently it's a 6 week course which will teach paranormal investigation techniques. This is a break down of the course:

• Week One: Investigating Energy
• Week Two: Psi
• Week Three: Ghosts
• Week Four: Cryptids
• Week Five: UFOs
• Week Six: Interdimensional Contact

This is all well and good, but my problem is this statement which also appears among the descriptives of the course: "Upon completion of the course, a workshop will also be offered to instruct graduates on how to make money from paranormal investigation, becoming true professionals."

While I'm not an investigator by any stretch of the imagination, it seems that this whole course is aimed at making money from investigations, which doesn't feel right to me. Just something about showing people how to make money off investigations just feels... wrong... like your sole aim is first and foremost the all mighty dollar. Thoughts?

[WonderGoon]

I agree with you. The only thing you have to know to be a true professional is how to roll over. Investigating should be done for fun.

At the same time, however, as bad as the economy is, getting paid to investigate could be seen as a legitimate source of income. And there is a certain allure to being a Paranormal Dick.

Goon

[scarygirl67]

I don't think anyone can say they're an expert in the paranormal field...too much is unknown about it. I think that an investigator should go in with the attitude of ruling out any natural explanations before looking at what could be paranormal. If indeed it turns out to be something unexplained, be discreet in any investigating and/or cleansing. I wouldn't trust anyone who got rich at it...no one has that much success.