I am not an "-er"

(This is going to be a little different than most of my blog posts.  I've felt like writing something about this for a little while, and the first sentence finally came to me.  If you're not so inclined, please feel free to skip on down to the next post, where there's a photo of Amanda and me together.  I won't be offended.)

I am not an "-er."  I generally don't call myself a painter, gamer, knitter, walker, runner, biker, programmer, designer, writer, or baker.


The definitions of most -er or -ist words are usually worded something like "a person who does X."  That may be the proper definition, but to me the -er words imply a certain amount of skill or talent.  A person who knits is someone who can use two needles and some yarn to make something.  A knitter is someone who can use the same implements skillfully to create an attractive and useful finished work.

That implied skill level is the reason I try not to refer to myself as an -er.  Stating one of my hobbies as a fact is one thing, but proclaiming in the same breath that I am very skilled at that hobby as well seems a little arrogant.  You can test this for yourself.  Imagine you've met someone new and are having a conversation when he/she says one of the following phrases:


"I paint."


"I'm a painter."

The first is a statement of fact.  The second comes across as an implication that the speaker is far more skilled than someone who merely paints.  It may be true, but shouldn't that judgement be left to an external audience?


I was lucky enough to see the reverse of this a week or two ago.  Amanda and I were in her apartment talking.  Amanda's been to art school, and I think she's fairly artistic.  In the course of our conversation, I called her an artist and she replied without any false modesty "I'm not an artist."  ...have I mentioned lately how awesome I think Amanda is?


So, my suggestion to everyone is to leave the -er and -ist labels behind.  Tell people what you do, and certainly show them your work!  ...just leave the labels for them to apply.