Change the name from Profile Manger to Profile Caretaker.

Question

I would like to see the term Profile Manager changed to Profile Caretaker.  I am seeing too many G2G question, answers and comments bemoaning the fate of the Profiles they own(sic) or manage.  Ownership of a profile is not really a principle of WIkiTree.

The word manager denotes a psychological sense of overt control, ownership, possession, etc.  Whereas a caretaker is someone who just  looks after and cares for the profile.

Maybe if people saw themselves as caretakers and not managers, this sense of ownership would start to go away.  And if pigs could fly......

WikiTree will go on long after I pass and I would rather a caretaker look after my profile when I am gone than a manager control it.  But, understanding the scope and complexity of making that change system wide...Well, I can dream can't I.  

Comments

But "managing" has nothing to do with ownership. You manage a project. This is a consenus/peer run site, the terms have been chosen very well.

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Well, if this is a consensus driven, peer oriented site, then am I not asking my peers for a consensus on this apparently "chosen" term?  I don't remember seeing where I could vote on this when I joined.  LOL

Maybe the problem is I don't see myself as manager of my own project as much as I see myself as a member of a larger goal. 

"A collaborative family tree, or single family tree, is one that we all share. It's not your tree or my tree. It is our tree — a tree for the entire human family."

From WikiTree:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Collaborative_Family_Tree

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So very well stated LJ!  It is true that our goal is really to work on "Our Tree" as a collective!

Answer 1

This is a great suggestion LJ!  Perception is not always the reality and if the reality is reflected in the perception it becomes real.  Oh my, seems I just did a Yodaism again!  But it is true and "ownership" is not what we are about here.  Thank you for bringing this up LJ!

Answer 2

Hey LJ,

I know this is an old thread but it this still seems like a good idea to me!

I personally would like being a caretaker.

:)

Answer 3

Thank you LJ for sharing this: ''It's not your tree or my tree. It is our tree — a tree for the entire human family.''

I agree that we are caretakers of the profiles we commit to tending. I like that word much better than 'manager.' I don't want to 'manage' the profiles that I work on -  I want to carefully tend to them, help them flourish, and adorn them in a fashion that memorializes the person they represent.

Comments

Mindy, Definition of manager: An individual who is in charge of a certain group of tasks, or a certain subset of a company. A manager is also a caretaker but since in WikiTree a manager is the one who is responsible for making sure the profile is correct and sourced with different responsibilities than other members the title fits best.