Told you I appreciate your passion. Don't want you to go anywhere. I was so like you it's almost scary. My heart was broken when I closed my fee shop doors because of all the bull****. I discovered there are other venues for our skills...most of them much more appreciative as well. I met people who have different perspectives and was able to learn and grow from them. They learned from me as well.
I'm just trying to point out that trying to whip up a mob with torches and pitchforks is not the way for effective change. It is the way to cause plenty of damage tho...dangerous. I'm also trying to point out that the "elders" that frequent this site ARE speaking up...I choose to read their words...not assume their motives. The message is NOT comfortable...which lends credibility IMO because nobody trying to pander to the frustration that we all feel. It's my opinion that change is inevitable...better to have a say in the change than fight against it. The decision-makers will close the door on a torch/pitchfork mob...they might leave it open for reasoned debate tho.
Was a recent thread about a homeowner hell-bent on getting his entire neighborhood to fight the assessment. He refused to let the assessor inspect as part of the reconsideration. He stated that he already knew he was getting screwed and the gov't was just after his money and that he was absolutely right about everything. It will not end well for him. I see a parallel to some of the arguments here.
Thanks for the nice response. With all due respect, and let me tell you your points are not going unconsidered, nor do I dismiss them as merit-less, I think you are very wrong. While I am not an old geeezer, nor am I the most educated and bestest appraiser there ever was, I am not a spring chicken, nor am I an appraisal idiot either (IMO - LOL). I've been around long enough, and have made a habit of paying attention to, how the world works. Again, while I won't claim to be any sort of guru (I wouldn't be an appraiser or broke if I was), I do think I see things much clearer than most people, simply because I have in fact made a habit of paying attention, asking questions and finally forming conclusions, while most people simply move on from day to day, never questioning a darn thing about anything. I am in no way saying you don't do this too, just saying on this issue, I think you are missing the bigger picture.
In your post above, you reference the decision makers. I find it curious that you while you don't exactly dismiss the idea of organization, you don't really seem to endorse it either. However you then say, "it is better to have a say in the change than fight against it". Who said I was trying to fight change? If anything, everything I am saying is about enacting change. And, the change I am proposing, is for appraisers to actually have a say in the changes that affect us, rather than sitting back and letting the decision makers have all the power. While I can concede my methods of rousing up interest in the idea on this forum could lead some to envision a mob with pitchforks, the reality of what true organization would look like is far from that. I believe it would look like a chaotic brawl when the members got together to discuss the issues, probably much like this forum appears, however when it came time for the "decision makers" to make the call and convey the group sentiment, it would be quite professional indeed. Think about it. The problem we have now, is the decision makers are not representative of the collective conscience, rather are likely bought and paid for, and add a dose of big ego for good measure.
Going down the broken record road here, the professional organizations we do have already suffer from lack of interest, fragmentation from each other and influence from special interest. What I am proposing has in fact never been tried, at least by appraisers. However, other industries that have tried to do it, and have been successful in recruitment, consolidation and independence, have all done great things indeed, and usually then some. The trick is, to build the organization on the right foundation. However, without any interest in building the foundation at all...
Getting back to how I am not a spring chicken and my observations in life, I was often in my life an anti-union sort of guy. However, I have been a part of numerous industries that I realized were in dire need of organization, and I am no longer so one-sided when it comes to the idea (I believe in balance). I have also realized, the world is more corrupt than my idealistic self could ever imagine, and there are simply some realities we can not change. So again with the broken record, but until appraisers organize into a single voice, our fates will continue to be dictated to us by decision makers that do not have our best interest in mind, and in this particular case, the interest of the public either. The interests that will be served if we do nothing, are the interests of greed, with the world in its wake, if it needs be. Doesn't that just seem a bit ridiculous, considering the entire point of our profession is to fight against the greed of the world? We are failing in a big way, and it is up to us, and only us, can change that.
Grease makes the world go round my friend, right up until the masses get fed up with being greasy.
