Amateur
For other uses, see Amateur (disambiguation). An amateur , from French amateur "lover of", is generally considered a person who pursues a particular activity or field of study independently from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist. [1] Contents 1 History 2 Amateur athletics 3 Contribution of amateurs 4 List of amateur pursuits 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading History Historically, the amateur was considered to be the ideal balance between pure intent, open mind and the interest or passion for a subject. That ideology spanned many different fields of interest. It may have had its roots in the ancient Greek philosophy of having amateur athletes compete in the Olympics. The ancient Greek citizens would spend most of their time in other pursuits, but would compete according to their natural talents and abilities. The "gentleman amateur" was a phenomen...