AMA is a way of life for many of us to fly at club fields or events or to support the organization that represents us with the FAA and FCC, worked with the EPA to establish flying fields on super fund sites etc. They are probably the biggest single reason we have the active freqencies we have and have little over sight from the various government agencies.

If you have an area you can safely fly, and dont plan on attending sanctioned events, then have fun and enjoy, I dont think anyone looks down on you for enjoying your hobby.