Links to popular writings on The Pro-Am Revolution are long overdue. Here's a good lead-in post on The Long Tail and the real meat of the pro-am diet can be found in Demo UK's Downloadable book (PDF).

The Pro-Ams (Professional Amateurs) are "innovative, committed and networked amateurs working to professional standards." Pro-ams threaten to overthrow the entrenched professionals and corporations who once held undisputed control of our economy. Due to many factors, such as the plummeting costs of creative production and easy access to knowledge and distribution through the Internet, the popularity of pro-am activities and its subsequent recognition has grown significantly. There are many successful examples providing inspiration for burgeoning amateurs world-wide, such as the adoption of open source software and amateur astronomical contributions to eBay storefronts, blogging, and myriad innovative web solutions emerging from the social network of the web.

More Links:
BBC Article
Institute for the Future