My initial thought is video games, everything has pros and cons, sure. However, it feels like anyone not into video games views them extrodinarly negatively. Any other hobbies parallel to that in your opinion?
Wargaming or anything that brings people to a hobby shop. Trains, RC vehicles, and kites are most acceptable and understandable to people on the outside but still looked down on.
The Satanic Panic never went away. I still deal with it on occasion.
Juggalos
Not really looked down on, but every time I mention that I have an indoor greenhouse everyone assumes I’m growing pot.
Not really looked down on
You mean near universally championed as cool?
How much are your electric costs for the greenhouse per month?
Drawing fetishist NSFW art. A friend of mine was (and probably still is, I just haven’t had any contact with them for ages) pretty good at drawing. If you’re into hentai and/or furry stuff, there’s a non-zero chance you’ve seen his work. He also did some more “exotic” drawing.
He (allegedly) wasn’t particularly into it himself, but he was good at it, he had a creative outlet, and it gave him a couple of extra bucks per month.
Skateboarding
Rollerblading as an adult if you’re not femme-presenting
Watching Youtube videos. It’s as good as college for anyone with a little savvy. I’ll bet that Youtube employs more PHD philosophers than any three universities.
Ha! Employed PHD Philosophers. That’s a good one!
Video games are a bigger industry than Hollywood now, are they really looked down upon still?
Yes.
The difference is between “things that are acceptable to do” vs “things that are acceptable hobbies.”
It’s like saying “I watch trashy tv as a hobby” - it implies that it takes up a considerable amount of your time, you put a non-negligible amount of effort or money into it, you might be trying to improve at it, or you consider this a significant part of your identity. It isn’t just “how you unwind” or “a guilty pleasure” - it is a significant part of your life.
What is the difference between acceptable and unacceptable hobbies? Acceptable hobbies improve the individual engaged in them and the world around them, while unacceptable hobbies degrade the individual and the world around them (as measured by the amorphous cultural consensus of the time). Hence:
Acceptible hobbies:
- Woodworking
- Cooking
- Soccer
- Dancing
- Painting
- Gardening
- Reading
- Playing the guitar
These hobbies have the effect of making the individual more active, more social, more creative, and more learned, while also often providing things to others.
Unacceptable hobbies:
- Watching TV
- Playing video games
- Drinking
- Smoking
- Gambling
These hobbies have, at best, a neutral effect on the individual or society.
Of course, many here will be offended, and will say “hey, I use gaming as my main form of social interaction with friends who live on the other side of the country - you’re making invalid assumptions here!” Well, sure - but this isn’t about my personal opinion of gaming. It is about society as a whole’s general perception of it. Argue with me all you want - it doesn’t change the perception of all of society.
Similarly, many will rightly point out “Hey, that middle aged mom spends hours every day on Candy Crush! I shouldn’t be judged any worse than her!” Sure - but again, she doesn’t consider Candy Crush to be a hobby. It is just something to kill dead time in her day. She might be an addict - but she isn’t admitting it, even to herself.
I am into most of those “acceptable hobbies” but would throw reading and gaming into the same bucket. I read, the kids game and both engage your mind. Husband watches TV to unwind and that seems much less mentally engaging to me.
@Korhaka@sopuli.xyz homebrewing to me falls squarely into Cooking category. I also put cocktail making, and any fermentation in cooking. So “drinking” as a hobby isn’t necessarily passive, can be creative like cooking. Putting Drinking in unacceptable hobbies, they might as well include Eating. The consuming of it isn’t creative but the creation of the food & drink is. Also learning about wine, etc.
I’d agrue that it is about social perception, not reality. If you say your hobby is reading, everyone assumes you are reading Steinbeck, and if your hobby is gaming, you must be playing COD.
Also, saying “I’m a foodie” is socially acceptable - people might think you’re pretentious, but will understand there is a level of intellectual engagement, skill, learning, and exploration that goes into it. If you say “my hobby is eating”, on the other hand, they will be a bit nonplussed, and might imagine you taking great pride in eating 200 McNuggets in one sitting. Same with “I like wine tastings” or “I’m a brewer” vs “I like drinking”; or “I like to dance” vs “I go clubbing.”
Now that there are parents that grew up as gamers, it’s settled down some, but many still consider watching TV or movies for a few hours more respectable than playing games for a few hours.
Absolutely
If you were to poll 100 people you’d probably have a generally favorable view. Those not in favor though are wildly anti, look at the people still pointing at it in relation to real world violence. I also have a good bit of anecdotal experience in which it’s considered everything from a complete time waste to an actively highly harmful behavior.
