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The problem with threads like these is that people often have a very narrow view of what a hobby is. Some people think that if you're not tinkering around in the garage with something then it's not a legitimate hobby.
I've read on this forum that reading books, scrapbooking or playing videogames are not legitimate hobbies but following and watching sports is.
Too true. The one about reading made me laugh. I remember someone here once saying "a hobby is something you're passionate about, something you spend a lot of time and money on"... hmm, so the $300-400 a year I spend on books isn't a lot of money? The 1-2 hours a day (on average) I spend reading isn't a lot of time? 70+ books per year isn't passionate? LOL, give me a break. Just because a lot of people read more passively or casually doesn't mean reading isn't a hobby for us heavy readers. Some people on this forum really make me shake my head and wonder.
I also think there is a thing as too much passion for something, because it makes you less open-minded about other pursuits. I've known a person passionate about jazz, for instance. He was into getting the old 45's and playing them on a victrolla. He was into swing dancing as well, and definately beyond passionate! However, try getting him out of that world, and have a discussion about any other form of music, or trying to get him to do anything outside of his "hobbies"...forget it! He was actually insultive of other types of music. It can really be a form of self-centered or ego-centric behavior, masked as passionate.
As far as passion goes though, who can really define it? Passionate to one person, is passiveness to another, etc. The person who stated that someone asked him what his real hobbies were, and what he was really passionate about AFTER giving a complete list, you have to wonder what his definition of passionate was? Was it total emersion? Was it how much money you spend on a hobbie? Was it something that needs to be out of the ordinary? I just don't understand how some people can't see their definition of passion is not the same as anothers. You can't accuse someone of not being passionate, if there is really no universal understanding of what that even means, as evidenced by that statement of real hobbies.
Heaven forbid if hobbies also change over time, I could only imagine the accusations then (i.e. you don't "know yourself because passions should NEVER change, etc.)
Some people seem to have any real hobbies or interests, aside from the usual activities like socialising with people, perhaps listening to some generic pop music. Or otherwise their entire attention/life seems consumed by their family, job.etc. I realise many people do not have time to collect model trains or something, but I've found that people who lack something they are really passionate about, whether related to their job or not, just aren't very interesting to get to know or talk to a lot of the time. It may sound snobbish but that's my observation.
It is my opinion that you are absolutely right. I would go further to state that having a passion about something is perhaps the only thing that makes any one interesting. I'm not sure how interesting a person can be when they are caught up in only the daily routines of life, yet interesting is a subjective term. Which is why I would disagree with those who state that watching television and playing video games is not a hobby. While this would make this person severely a bore to me, they may, and probably are, thought of as very entertaining fellows to the others who share their interests.
I want to say that gaming is a lousy excuse for a hobby. I really do. I cannot understand the attraction.
But after watching some of the incredibly complex plots, new open worlds, games with deep history/a cannon, and endless permutations of difficult choices in my husband's games... it counts.
I still view it as a time suck with very little ROI. Someone whose hobby is working with old transistor radios or steam engines or something gains a skill that could be very helpful someday. But then, scrapbooking and stamp collecting "count" and they aren't adding much skill or value, either... my own hobbies of devouring fiction and pastry/baking seem more constructive to me, but to a math oriented person who consumes a macrobiotic diet, not so much.
So I am in the camp that as long as it isn't television every day from quitting time till bedtime, it is a hobby.
"Passion" is very overrated, in my opinion, whether you're using it as a yardstick to judge someone's hobbies, or to conclude how much a person cares about something.
Some people seem to live on the extremes of emotion, even if they aren't legitimately Bipolar, they still thrive on all the extremes of ecstasy, rage, grieving, excitement, etc.
Others, like me, are more on an even keel. No high highs or low lows. Not much drama. We mostly shrug things off. No roller-coasters of emotion. No panting, flushed, breathless emotional expression.
I can have a HUGE amount of interest in things and enjoy them IMMENSELY, but people would look at me and believe I have no "passion" for what I'm engaged in.
Show me a new record containing genealogical info that I haven't yet seen, and I might look like I'm blandly smiling, but inside, I'm mentally panting and breathless about it!
Not for nothin', passionate people can be exhausting.
Last edited by Tracysherm; 03-01-2013 at 10:56 AM..
I want to say that gaming is a lousy excuse for a hobby. I really do. I cannot understand the attraction.
But after watching some of the incredibly complex plots, new open worlds, games with deep history/a cannon, and endless permutations of difficult choices in my husband's games... it counts.
I still view it as a time suck with very little ROI. Someone whose hobby is working with old transistor radios or steam engines or something gains a skill that could be very helpful someday. But then, scrapbooking and stamp collecting "count" and they aren't adding much skill or value, either... my own hobbies of devouring fiction and pastry/baking seem more constructive to me, but to a math oriented person who consumes a macrobiotic diet, not so much.
So I am in the camp that as long as it isn't television every day from quitting time till bedtime, it is a hobby.
I don't agree with the notion that a hobby has to be practical, productive, or somehow useful to oneself or the world at large in the first place. I'm not sure where folks are getting that idea, other than some misguided sense of self-righteousness in their own pursuits. Not you, but others on this thread. The very definition of "hobby" is "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation."
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basiliximab
It is my opinion that you are absolutely right. I would go further to state that having a passion about something is perhaps the only thing that makes any one interesting. I'm not sure how interesting a person can be when they are caught up in only the daily routines of life, yet interesting is a subjective term. Which is why I would disagree with those who state that watching television and playing video games is not a hobby. While this would make this person severely a bore to me, they may, and probably are, thought of as very entertaining fellows to the others who share their interests.
IMO everyone has a passion for something, even if they're not aware of it as such. It might be simply a passion for day-dreaming, thinking about ideas, celebrities, people-watching, their pet, listening to others, eating, even sleeping...!
Computers, technology, and gaming are my lifes enjoyment and hobby, so are you saying I don't know what I like in life? If so, screw ya.
In regards to passion, theres nothing in life that im passionate about, I was just born that way. I prefer living life one day at a time, rolling with the dice.
And no, I really don't give a damn if you still don't understand the attraction the gaming and internet lifestyle has for many geeks like me, just like I don't understand the attraction of being a type A personality and wanting to work 14-18 hour days to build a business or idea.
Some people seem to have any real hobbies or interests, aside from the usual activities like socialising with people, perhaps listening to some generic pop music. Or otherwise their entire attention/life seems consumed by their family, job.etc. I realise many people do not have time to collect model trains or something, but I've found that people who lack something they are really passionate about, whether related to their job or not, just aren't very interesting to get to know or talk to a lot of the time. It may sound snobbish but that's my observation.
I cannot imagine living like that. I don't have enough time left in the rest of my life to do everything I am passionate about.
Some people seem to have any real hobbies or interests, aside from the usual activities like socialising with people, perhaps listening to some generic pop music. Or otherwise their entire attention/life seems consumed by their family, job.etc. I realise many people do not have time to collect model trains or something, but I've found that people who lack something they are really passionate about, whether related to their job or not, just aren't very interesting to get to know or talk to a lot of the time. It may sound snobbish but that's my observation.
Close minded would be more accurate but whatever, introverted people like me with simple living desires don't wanna be around people like you anyway, you just tire us out
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