In article , "Dee D. Flint"
writes:

Most rewards in the real world have little relationship to the work
requested. You see it in the home too. Kid asks, "Dad can I borrow the
car?" Parent replies, "After you mow the front & back lawn and run the
edger." There is absolutely no relationship between the two activities.

Actually, there is a relationship - or connection might be a better word.

Connection would be the better term I think since the activities are
unrelated in what they are.

OK

You're right that driving a car doesn't require lawn-mowing skills or
accomplishments.

But in the case cited above, Kid is part of the family. In order to use
the
family's resources (the car, which Parents bought and paid for) Kid has to
contribute something - in the cited case, the lawn care. The relationship
between the car use and the lawn care is one of responsibility and being
part of a group.

Excellent. We can apply that similar logic to amateur radio requirements.
The spectrum is a public resource. The prospective ham needs to demonstrate
that he has the potential to be a contributor.

And also the needed knowledge.

This is accomplished by the
testing process. The connection is then similar: demonstrating the
potential for responsibility and being part of a larger group. Notice that
I tag it as potential since there will always be a few who are willing to
put in the effort but then end up being problems.

It's not about putting in the effort but about demonstrating the requisite
knowledge. And said knowledge will include things that may not involve areas
the potential ham is interested in, but are required nonetheless because they
are part of the knowledge base of a radio amateur.

Now some folks say "I'm a professional/EE/technician" as if that somehow
exempts them from having to pass certain tests. But it doesn't work that way,
nor should it. If someone from outside amateur radio is truly qualified, the
tests are no big deal.

Have you ever seen a family where the kids are given everything they want
but not required to contribute anything? Ever see what sort of adults those
kids become?

The kid gets a highly desired reward for work that he/she probably
doesn't care to do but does it anyway to get the reward.

The important question is, who is the best judge of what the requirements
should be? The newcomer or the experienced ham?

73 de Jim, N2EY