tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post1178069062193700783..comments2024-03-21T19:08:05.737-07:00Comments on Genealogy's Star: Are Genealogists being defined out of Family History?James Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-61281965122805440502013-05-21T10:02:09.995-07:002013-05-21T10:02:09.995-07:00My family is rather busy but I suspect they will g...My family is rather busy but I suspect they will get the "bug" eventually. Some of that "glitz" and being shown and told has sparked an interest in my grandson (College age). He is quite interested in "roll playing" currently Vikings. Does his homework too. Knows quite a bit about them. He has also become interested in chain mail making. Why? His grandmother. Being told (and proved since I'm a Colonial Dame XVII Century) about some of his ancestor's (Knight's and a few Kings)gave him a feeling of "it's for real". Makes a difference. I was told some of my family history at age 12...Salem Witch trials, Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary Towne Esty, and that got me curious. First step. May not always "take", but once in a while it does. At the very least he's into history. Which isn't a bad thing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-88538962757065269312013-05-21T06:53:20.240-07:002013-05-21T06:53:20.240-07:00Looking at the promotion, it seems to me that this...Looking at the promotion, it seems to me that this is geared toward an LDS audience (4 - Prepare Ancestor's Names For The Temple). Because of this, I think that the ad is geared, in part, toward engaging people who already have a knowledge of their family history or have family that does genealogy. Perhaps people whose grandmother did genealogy and left a stack of papers behind, younger generations who are more tech savvy and can help spread to word about FamilySearch's technology, etc. It might be about engaging people who already are familiar with genealogy, but don't participate themselves.<br /><br />I also think that the "more than dates, records, and research" goes, in part, to the religious aspect. I don't know what the #4 idea entails, but it's obviously religious. I think there's an implication that beyond the dates, etc., is a higher purpose. Genealogy is about family and spiritual fulfillment (don't know if that's the right word). It's not tedious, it's meaningful... and fun.<br /><br />Speaking specifically to your critique, you say: "How do you move from something such as interviewing family members and sharing their stories online, to finding the identity of unknown family members." To me, this is a big part of genealogy. How can I not interview my relatives? They have a ton of information about people I never met. If I hadn't interview my Grandmother, I would have never known that her father's birth name was not "Mack," which he used on all of his records from his 20's on. I would never have found his childhood census records because he changed his name. Sure, it's not a primary document, but it can tell me where to look for those documents. When I've shared the information they gave me on my blog, I've connected with more cousins who have been able to give me more information. Again, you back up these stories with documents, but it's a place to start. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10232674112099044776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-52556778863284750852013-05-20T08:32:26.469-07:002013-05-20T08:32:26.469-07:00Drawing people to do family history/genealogy work...Drawing people to do family history/genealogy work is a challenge. The new attempt to draw people in will be temporary until a few of them catch the desire to dig deeper. It is fun being a genealogist as we can encourage them in their digging, usually one step at a time. They will take breaks in the process and overlook much that could help in their research without understanding how. That is our role as genealogists, to be patient and slowly educate those who will listen.gophergenealogyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03440793574085228625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-69214365856647453002013-05-19T16:30:00.620-07:002013-05-19T16:30:00.620-07:00I agree with Geolover, without the 'oddly.'...I agree with Geolover, without the 'oddly.' The ad is clearly, to me, attempting to place the ten activities, that are widely promoted in the media, in the context of family history. Involvement would be expected to result in digging out the details... sort of assumed, in my view.<br />Interesting article and perspective. Dr. Bill (William L.) Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04857619677138020430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-15039742964691347312013-05-17T09:52:14.471-07:002013-05-17T09:52:14.471-07:00Oddly, nearly half the items in the piece require ...Oddly, nearly half the items in the piece require that someone had done ~research~ or created ~records~.Geoloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050268303916428230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-46586287208678063482013-05-16T10:08:55.259-07:002013-05-16T10:08:55.259-07:00I imagine they are just trying to attract more peo...I imagine they are just trying to attract more people to try family history. You know, get them in the door and get them hooked. Then teach them about the process of finding their ancestors. To represent the research aspect, maybe they could have included a picture of someone dressed in an old-time detective outfit with a magnifying glass. That would have been fun, 'cause isn't that how we genealogists picture ourselves anyway? :)Jana Iverson Lasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687969613629975601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-65330070401033110542013-05-16T09:19:58.425-07:002013-05-16T09:19:58.425-07:00We researchers won't become defined out of gen...We researchers won't become defined out of genealogy. The folk who come for flash only will become bored and leave. Gravy (or icing) is nice, but neither works without the meat (or the cake).<br /><br />I believe that the advertising department fails to understand its product in a great many industries. They sell the "sizzle" instead of the steak because they don't know (and seem to not care) about the steak.<br /><br />In the long run such advertising campaigns are doomed. The sizzle may attract, but without the steak, the customers leave, unsatisfied.<br /><br />I recently directed someone on Facebook as to how to search a census page-by-page instead of relying on the index. She found what she wanted and will stay. The easy to do people will go on to the next phase, leaving uw "hard-core" folk holding the fort (and expanding it).<br />SueAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15551274264418341175noreply@blogger.com