I have to wonder if the premise of this article is based on a flawed presumption. When people say they "have no hobbies" is that because they truly have no hobbies or simply because so many things...
I have to wonder if the premise of this article is based on a flawed presumption. When people say they "have no hobbies" is that because they truly have no hobbies or simply because so many things we do nowadays purely for enjoyment aren't traditionally considered hobbies? Could this even come down to a semantic issue? I know hobby and pastime are essentially synonymous but I tend to view hobbies as something requiring some degree of skill and dedication to accomplish anything in (e.g. carpentry, knitting, makers, etc) and pastimes as something anyone can do with no significant learning curve to them. E.g. I enjoy playing video games, reading books, meditating, listening to music/podcasts, and watching television/movies, but are those really hobbies or just simple pastimes?
When your identity is linked to your hobby — you’re a yogi, a surfer, a rock climber — you’d better be good at it, or else who are you?
I do think that is a valid point though... I certainly see a lot of people (at least on social media, but also some acquaintances/friends in real life too) who clearly attach a significant portion of their social identity to their hobbies (like the ones he mentions) and what the author suggests about the consequence of doing that is likely true, IMO.
I see this desperation in my friend's kid. He tries all kinds of things but hits a wall and gives up. He gets in deep enough to understand his hobby and is just starting to get past the first part...
I see this desperation in my friend's kid. He tries all kinds of things but hits a wall and gives up. He gets in deep enough to understand his hobby and is just starting to get past the first part of the learning curve and have fun. Then, he finds a youtuber that is so good at it he feels hopelessly incompetent. It's hard to take pride when the circle of people you compare yourself to is the global stage on the internet instead of a county fair, your school, or your neighborhood.
To counter the articles point, I'd say society is currently celebrating mediocrity too much in its entertainment. In the world of the internet anyone can become successful and find an audience no...
To counter the articles point, I'd say society is currently celebrating mediocrity too much in its entertainment. In the world of the internet anyone can become successful and find an audience no matter there skill level. I think this has made a lot of people into stardom seekers, jumping from one hobby to the next as they try to find something that they can ride to stardom instead of doing stuff for the love of doing it.
I have to wonder if the premise of this article is based on a flawed presumption. When people say they "have no hobbies" is that because they truly have no hobbies or simply because so many things we do nowadays purely for enjoyment aren't traditionally considered hobbies? Could this even come down to a semantic issue? I know hobby and pastime are essentially synonymous but I tend to view hobbies as something requiring some degree of skill and dedication to accomplish anything in (e.g. carpentry, knitting, makers, etc) and pastimes as something anyone can do with no significant learning curve to them. E.g. I enjoy playing video games, reading books, meditating, listening to music/podcasts, and watching television/movies, but are those really hobbies or just simple pastimes?
I do think that is a valid point though... I certainly see a lot of people (at least on social media, but also some acquaintances/friends in real life too) who clearly attach a significant portion of their social identity to their hobbies (like the ones he mentions) and what the author suggests about the consequence of doing that is likely true, IMO.
I see this desperation in my friend's kid. He tries all kinds of things but hits a wall and gives up. He gets in deep enough to understand his hobby and is just starting to get past the first part of the learning curve and have fun. Then, he finds a youtuber that is so good at it he feels hopelessly incompetent. It's hard to take pride when the circle of people you compare yourself to is the global stage on the internet instead of a county fair, your school, or your neighborhood.
To counter the articles point, I'd say society is currently celebrating mediocrity too much in its entertainment. In the world of the internet anyone can become successful and find an audience no matter there skill level. I think this has made a lot of people into stardom seekers, jumping from one hobby to the next as they try to find something that they can ride to stardom instead of doing stuff for the love of doing it.