Interesting article, thanks! I have noticed this as well I'm into a few niche hobbies, wargaming, as referenced here, then hobby RC and retro gaming. It seems that everytime I've discovered the...
Interesting article, thanks!
I have noticed this as well
I can’t help but wonder whether the British genius for immiseration also has a role to play. Lively minds will always find alternatives to decaying cities and nagging politicians.
Both Faulconbridge and Parker agree that there’s something in the water on our island
I'm into a few niche hobbies, wargaming, as referenced here, then hobby RC and retro gaming. It seems that everytime I've discovered the hobby, I uncover vast amounts of Britishness. I've subscribed to two magazines (Wargames: Soldiers and Strategy + Retro Gamer), both of which are British. My favorite podcasts on the subjects are British and my favorite YouTuber for hobby RC is British.
Not exactly sure what that is, but I find it pretty interesting. We have these scenes in the US (I'm actually skipping an annual wargaming tournament today, in fact), but based on what I've gathered about Brits in their hobbies, it seems generally less competitive than it is in the US, which I find significantly more appealing.
Anyway, following on the article, it certainly seems like men having more hobbies is probably the cure for what we've been calling "the loneliness epidemic." I've seen exactly what this article mentions in those scenes I'm into, people from different walks of life, getting together and sharing a love of something specific. Getting together at the hobby shop to race RC, play a wargame or just generally bullshit, with no cost of entry, really makes it a Third Place for many people.
I suspect that proximity may be a factor for niche hobbyists in Britain compared to those in the US. A small number of niche hobbyists spread across the country are inevitably going to be closer...
I suspect that proximity may be a factor for niche hobbyists in Britain compared to those in the US. A small number of niche hobbyists spread across the country are inevitably going to be closer to one another in the UK than in the US.
Though to be fair, I'm not necessarily against there being something there culturally, similar to how Germans with board games.
My niche-est hobby is conlanging, which doesn't require the same in-person communal spirit as most such hobbies (the existence of the internet has been very kind to us) and doesn't really have the competitiveness aspect. But even we plan in-person meetups now and again, and when I've gone they've been a blast! It helps that when there's one niche hobby in common, you'll often find plenty of others as well.
Interesting article, thanks!
I have noticed this as well
I'm into a few niche hobbies, wargaming, as referenced here, then hobby RC and retro gaming. It seems that everytime I've discovered the hobby, I uncover vast amounts of Britishness. I've subscribed to two magazines (Wargames: Soldiers and Strategy + Retro Gamer), both of which are British. My favorite podcasts on the subjects are British and my favorite YouTuber for hobby RC is British.
Not exactly sure what that is, but I find it pretty interesting. We have these scenes in the US (I'm actually skipping an annual wargaming tournament today, in fact), but based on what I've gathered about Brits in their hobbies, it seems generally less competitive than it is in the US, which I find significantly more appealing.
Anyway, following on the article, it certainly seems like men having more hobbies is probably the cure for what we've been calling "the loneliness epidemic." I've seen exactly what this article mentions in those scenes I'm into, people from different walks of life, getting together and sharing a love of something specific. Getting together at the hobby shop to race RC, play a wargame or just generally bullshit, with no cost of entry, really makes it a Third Place for many people.
Thanks again for sharing.
I suspect that proximity may be a factor for niche hobbyists in Britain compared to those in the US. A small number of niche hobbyists spread across the country are inevitably going to be closer to one another in the UK than in the US.
Though to be fair, I'm not necessarily against there being something there culturally, similar to how Germans with board games.
My niche-est hobby is conlanging, which doesn't require the same in-person communal spirit as most such hobbies (the existence of the internet has been very kind to us) and doesn't really have the competitiveness aspect. But even we plan in-person meetups now and again, and when I've gone they've been a blast! It helps that when there's one niche hobby in common, you'll often find plenty of others as well.