Over the years, I have had a decided ambivalence toward the all this--I think that the trade of "folklorist" seems more like an endeavor in academic politics--with all the negatives that go along with that--

The emphasis always seems to be on creating and building the reputation of the folklorist, at any expense--graduate assistants, interns, and informants, are all handled as if they were property, and expendible property at that--

On the other hand, there is a great body of work that has been collected, that otherwise would have disappeared without a trace--