I came across a post recently that seems to distinguish between an adoption expert vs adoption advocate. I found it difficult to separate the two so I ventured out to learn and what I found is not any more than what I already know.
First I did an online search on Dictionary.com to learn the meanings of these words. An advocate refers to someone who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person or a cause while an expert is a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field. If I have to put my understanding in to words, this is how I interpret: Expert is someone more academic oriented (or has book knowledge) and advocate is someone that is action oriented (or has practical knowledge).
For example, a scientist might do a research to study a particular aspect of adoption to come out with his findings while the advocate makes use of this study results to advance a cause. So who is important among the two? As far as I understand these terms, it is ‘neither’. Very rarely you find a person that has both the qualities (expert and an advocate) so the world needs both.
Before you write off someone with a title “Advocate” or “Expert,” I suggest that you study the merits, intentions and methodologies to make your own decisions. If the world has to write off everyone with titles, we wouldn’t be talking about Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King or Abraham Lincoln today.
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