Cultural Differences

I've been in France for getting on for 20 years now, so I don't tend to notice the differences between French and English cultures.  In any case, my understanding of English culture is probably a bit out of date by now.   But I remain surprised by the French deference to professional qualifications.   They don't seem to believe that you can do anything practical unless the state has issued you with a certificate to say that you can.

A case in point came up recently in regard to my accordion.   You are not supposed to look at the buttons when you play.   It's actually fairly difficult to see them, and if you did it for any length of time you'd probably get a crick in the neck.   So, to aid players, certain specific buttons can have knurled tops so you can identify them by touch.   On the right-hand side, the C notes are identified in this way, on the first and fourth rows from the edge.   The F buttons on the third row are likewise identified.

My accordion did not come with these markers so I resolved to get some.   At the same time I decided to replace all the dull grey bottons (like those on the left side in the photo) with the shiny new goldy-coloured ones that you can see on the right hand side, because I thought they'd look pretty.   So I got them and fitted them.  You unscrew the old ones, screw in the new ones.   It's a good idea to stabilise the shaft into which they screw by gripping it with long-nosed pliers.

So I was at the music school explaining that I had fitted these buttons, and the response was "Where did you get it done?"   Er, "No I did it myself."    (Like I said, "I changed the buttons")    There followed expressions of surprise, of being impressed, and so on.  I mean, you unscrew the old ones, screw in the new ones, what's hard about that?    You have to make sure they all end up at about the same height but there nothing subtle.

People seem to believe that you can't do X or Y or Z unless you have a government-issued certificate that says you can.   I understand why the government keeps issuing new, legally binding norms for various kinds of work, that the professionals are obliged to abide by; it's to keep the people with practical skills in employment.   But it seems to have seeped into the general population.