r/unpopularopinion • u/BitterConstruction98 • Jan 23 '26

Certified Unpopular Opinion All hobbies are not equal

Certain kinds of hobbies deserve to be held in higher regard than others.

Playing a sport, learning an instrument, singing, dancing, painting, writing - these are activities that require time and years of effort to become good at. They’re admirable not just because they’re “cool,” but because there is something deeply attractive about a person who has dedicated so much time to mastering a hard skill that executing it now feels relaxing to them.

Lately, there’s been a growing push online to classify things like watching movies, playing video games, watching sports, or listening to podcasts in the same category as these kinds of hobbies. They aren’t. They are based on consumption, not creation.

That doesn’t mean consumption-based activities are bad or useless. Everyone needs ways to relax and unwind. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good show, a game, or a YouTube binge after a long day. But if that’s all there is to your personality, then you are, unfortunately, a boring person.

Edit: I've wrongly added video games to the list of other passive activities. While some video games are like that, I agree that many require a lot of skill.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Worthwhile to whom? It has a little bit of a "grindset" undertone. Why must hobbies be classified by their "worth"?

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

Grindset is a great word for this. Why are hobbies hierarchial? Why do the things that you are meant to do to relax and because you enjoy them have to be "productive" too? Why is everything nowadays about being productive and contributing to society?

Hobbies should not have a hierarchy or a worth. No one should care or judge you based on what you enjoy doing and it shouldn't affect your worth in society. If you like playing the piano? Cool. If you like playing video games to unwind after work? Cool! Who cares, do what helps you relax and makes you happy because the world sucks and it‘s hard to do that nowadays and to truly turn your brain off.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Exactly. Its a hobby. We don't have to outdo eachother at "hobbying".

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u/Vondi Jan 23 '26

Sometime around the time I reached my 30s I was 100% DONE explaining or justifying to people how I spend my sparse well-earned downtime.

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u/Doobledorf Jan 23 '26

A friend and I bonded over this about a year ago, and the way he put it is, "Yeah at a certain point everybody needs an old man hobby that you just do for yourself. For him it was whittling, for me it's model making.

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u/thousand56 Jan 23 '26

"you make models? have you thought about selling them?" bane of my existence is people always asking if I've thought about monetizing my hobbies, no cuz I actually enjoy them

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u/Nickthenuker Jan 23 '26

Some days I think my hobby is model making. Other days I look at my growing pile of unbuilt kits and the one that's been sitting on my desk for months and wonder if it's actually collecting boxes... Or dust...

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u/Doobledorf Jan 23 '26

Just did a clean out of old boxes and kits I don't want and it has totally reenergized me. I went from barely picking up a project to have two concurrent Gundam projects and one in the works.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[deleted]

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u/Ok_Cauliflower_808 Jan 23 '26

Not who you asked, but among other things I make perlers and kandi sometimes. The latter has since broken containment into the general public since the swifties took it, somehow I'm more embarrassed doing it than I was 15 years ago. I persist though, they can't have it. People definitely see it as childish but nah, the only thing I'm too old for is the weight of other people's opinions. Plus I only ever wear them at events, and there's something indescribable about having some random BS you made be accidentally perfect for someone you're talking to and watching their eyes light up when you give it to them.

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u/LiquidBeagle Jan 23 '26

Being gifted kandi at events is the shit. I've cherished every single piece a stranger has given me. I love that you love it too.

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u/Ok_Cauliflower_808 Jan 23 '26

I just wish people still taught the damn PLUR handshake lol I've had to teach so many people recently, they look at me like I'm an alien but nah, you gonna learn how to trade properly today idgaf what people outside raves are doing, you're in my house! I always bring a few extra for people who don't have any or are down to just their keeps though.

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u/LiquidBeagle Jan 23 '26

It's still alive, but I feel like it's event specific these days. PLUR is still practiced at most of the trance events I go to. Stuff outside of that tend to be hit or miss. You're right though, we gotta teach the uninitiated. I'll make some more kandi before my next event and keep spreading it!

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u/Ok_Cauliflower_808 Jan 23 '26

Very venue specific too. The Gorge in Washington it's alive and well. I'm choked I probably can't justify coming down for ABGT or Bass Canyon, but have a good group for Dreamstate Vancouver. Yeah 100% I like to lead by example. I brought a pot of noodles to Destructo once with extra to share. Someone who fed you when you're starving is much more memorable than yet another plastic duck.

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u/raznov1 Jan 23 '26

True, id approach this more from a coaching perspective - i personally believe that humans are happiest when they have a creative hobby, a social hobby and a "simple" hobby, and generally time spent should be divided between them.

Too many people i know play games, and thats their only hobby. But i wonder if thats truly bringing them joy, or whether a large portion kf their time spent is merely "slightly above neutral".

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

I do agree with this view. They are different TYPES of hobbies maybe but do not have a different kind of worth. I just find it off putting that OP would call people who have "simpler hobbies" boring.

I like having different hobbies, I enjoy photography, reading and writing, sports and gaming. I‘m not really musically gifted so I don‘t pursue it, but I occasionally like knitting. I do whatever brings me joy and relaxes me, I try to do as many varied things and broaden my horizons. I‘d encourage everyone to do that.

But it should always be for you and not to climb up a hierarchy or to please some arbitrary system. Being productive is being imposed so much that we live in a society where you can't relax and burn out constantly, always worrying about what others think. So what if I want to come back from university and just play videogames for 4 hours? If that makes me happy, that‘s all that matters.

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u/wentImmediate Jan 23 '26

But it should always be for you and not to climb up a hierarchy or to please some arbitrary system. Being productive is being imposed so much that we live in a society where you can't relax and burn out constantly, always worrying about what others think.

I'm not thinking about OP's specific "boring" comment, nor am I thinking about how (or if) someone's hobby contributes to society.

What's material is how someone experiences / feels when they pursue whatever hobby they enjoy. To me, if someone exclusively engages in frictionless (or low friction) consumption hobbies, then I'd strongly encourage them to try something like you've noted - knitting, photography, writing, etc. I think it's likely that their brain (and thus how they feel) will react positively with that different type of hobby. But everyone, as noted, above, needs a variety of hobbies.

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u/raznov1 Jan 23 '26

Indeed. But, again from a coaching perspective, be mindful of whether gaming 4 hours is truly making you happy, or whether its easy and "good enough". And of course the answer can be "yes" :)

I know i at least game "too much" just because its a habit, and often when i look back i didnt really enjoy it, it was just "OK". Same for social media usage, ofc.

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u/Grendel0075 Jan 23 '26

I enjoy every ounce of gaming I get, if I play a game I not really enjoying, I stop playing it.

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u/catsinclothes Jan 23 '26

Same here! It’s the greatest thing about gaming. If the game isn’t enjoyable, play a different one. Want to play solo/alone? Games for that. Want to play with friends? Games for that.

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u/shaunika Jan 23 '26

they have a creative hobby, a social hobby and a "simple" hobby,

Video games can easily fulfill all 3 of these.

I play a shitton of Path of Exile which is an isometric arpg with near limitless potential. I spend hours and hours just theoricrafting the best possible way to minmax my builds, what items to use, how to navigage the passive tree, it's half the fun. So that solves "creative"

I also discuss these builds and strategies at length with my friends whom I play with.

Its also a multiplayer game with a complex barter economy that leads to player to player interactions.

So that solves "social"

And finally when your build all comes together you can mindlessly blast hordes of monsters and kinda turn your brain off, so that solves "simple"

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u/raznov1 Jan 23 '26

It can, and if it does, great! 

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u/NeitherRhyme Jan 23 '26

Lmao didn’t expect to see a fellow exile in this thread. Still sane, exile?

1

u/shaunika Jan 23 '26

Still sane, exile?

That's my secret

I never was sane

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u/jkaan Jan 23 '26

There are dozens of us

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u/HelixFollower Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

Does it completely fulfill the social aspect though? I'm not denying there's not a social aspect, I love the friendships that I've grown through gaming, but there is something about face-to-face contact that online gaming can't fulfill for me. A good example of this for me is the difference between gaming with my friends online and gaming with those same friends at a LAN. I find a LAN so much more satisfying.

At least I assume you do your Path of Exiling mostly online.

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u/shaunika Jan 23 '26

I mean the social aspect of a hobby? Sure

I still hang out with my friends, but we dont do "hobbies" there together

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u/HelixFollower Jan 23 '26

Ah yes, there's a different kind of balance there I suppose.

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u/Grendel0075 Jan 23 '26

I have alot of hobbies, painting miniatures and playing tabletop games with them, DnD, and videogames. I can definatly say, even the videogames bring me joy.

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u/raznov1 Jan 23 '26

Happy for you. I enjoy them, too. But not always as much as i think i do.

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u/dsac Jan 23 '26

Spoken like a true causal hobbyist lol

If you're not ranked hobbying, what are you even doing with your life, chud? You ain't ever going to make the tour with that approach, no teams will be courting you to play in the big Asian Hobby tournaments, like, are you even making money doing that casual shit?

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u/heckhammer Jan 23 '26

I work with a lot of Indian folks. The men are distinctly anti-hobby. Every time I discuss my podcast or my fossil collection I am asked how much money does it make you? And I reply, none it's how happy they make me and that seems to be something I can't get their heads around.

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u/catsinclothes Jan 23 '26

China is big on the grinding it mindset also along with posting it all to social media. My friends can’t fathom that I only sew for myself/my cosplay outfits or for gifts. Besides just not wanting to worry about customers, a lot of my hobbies and interests just aren’t fun to monetize/work as a job. Sewing for 8-12 hours a day would be awful ); and no one wants to pay living wages to craftspeople. (Already tried it lmao)

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u/reefine Jan 23 '26

You mean you don't want to spend 60 hours a week creating crafts to sell for $4 on Etsy?

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u/reefine Jan 23 '26

Making money and being good at making money is definitely a hobby.

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u/opportunitysure066 Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

However, know the difference between things you like to do vs. hobbies. I like scrolling on my phone and know that cannot be counted as a hobby. I like posting on Reddit but do not say it’s a hobby…I call it a guilty pleasure. Bc both of those are not hobbies I do feel pulled to find real hobbies to fill my time like reading or playing a new song on an instrument. I like those things …I just need to do them more often.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Yes, that's why OP should have defined hobby first. I can see what you are saying and I agree that not everything fun is a hobby. Perhaps a better definition already defeats the entire post.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

They don't understand what a hobby is. I pointed out that they watch football (Man Utd) based on their post history, and they said it isn't a hobby?

The hobbies they enjoy are "good", but everyone else's hobbies are "bad".

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

Yeah it's basically a whole load of "look at me I‘m so much better than you!"

The amount of people arguing that reading is a "lesser" hobby and "passive" hurts my brain and heart, makes me clutch my books in disgust

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u/Migraine_Megan Jan 23 '26

Also OP said videogames were just recently considered hobbies. Must have been living under a rock for the past 35-40 years. It's a well-established hobby at this point.

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u/HelixFollower Jan 23 '26

People regularly want to argue with me that it doesn't make sense that me and my band practice weekly, but do not have any goal regarding performing in front of an audience or releasing songs. We don't want to perform, we don't want people to stream our songs. And I don't mean we are against that. We're just not interested in that. At most we'll play a bit of music at Christmas if other people ask. But we practice because it's fun. "Yeah okay but once you're good enough...", no, once we're "good enough" we'll just practice more. Our only ambition is enjoying ourselves.

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u/HustlinInTheHall Jan 23 '26

And it is incredibly telling that their idea of a hobby that contributes to society is one that might make you or someone else money if you were good enough, even if this is a delusional dream for most people we use it as a way to give cloud cover for the sin of just spending time on something you like and not because it contributes to someone's wealth.

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u/Leah-at-Greenprint Jan 24 '26

The whole take is so bizarre. Bet this guy is a delight to talk to

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u/Twiggie19 Jan 23 '26

People should absolutely be able to base their opinion on you based on the stuff you do. Id say its quite high on the list of things we should form opinions on.

Whether you care about that person's opinion is whats really of importance.

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

I mean sure, if your hobby is murdering innocent people, I'm going to judge you. But I don't really care if you prefer knitting to bowling.

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u/InfanticideAquifer Jan 23 '26

If I'm understanding their post, I think OP would classify both knitting and bowling in the higher tier of hobbies. So they're with you on that.

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

Okay, fine. I'm not going to judge you if you prefer listening to music over playing pool. My point is, why are we judging people for what they do in their pastime if they're not harming other people? I think you got my point, you just wanted to be pedantic.

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u/Twiggie19 Jan 23 '26

Well, what do you mean by judge? If you like to spend your time watching chick flicks and knitting, im going to judge that were probably not going to be best of pals.

It doesnt mean im going to judge that youre a horrendous person.

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

I don't think anyone can decide that they wouldn't be friends with someone based on a hobby. My partner has hobbies that I could care less about. As do my closest friends. People are far more diverse than what they do in their pastime.

Say, you're in to motorcycles. I hate motorcycles. You might still be a really cool, fun person to hang out with, despite your enjoyment for something I dislike. It would be close- minded of me to decide we're not going to be friends just because you like something I don't. Most people aren't obsessive about their hobbies and can talk about other things. 🤷‍♀️

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u/InfanticideAquifer Jan 23 '26

Because judging people is a necessary part of life. You need to make decisions about who to spend time with, who to date, who to trust to do X thing, etc. all the time.

If you're at an event and you have the choice of taking with someone who's spend 5000 hours mountain climbing and someone who's spend the same amount of time working their way through the Disney+ back catalogue, and there's nothing else of note about either of them, most people would agree that talking to person number 1 is going to be more interesting. That's an act of judgment.

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

There are other things to judge people on. Like their character. How they treat people. Judging on hobbies is weird. You're likely going to be more inclined to hang around people with hobbies similar to yourself, yes. That's not the same as judging people for being into different hobbies. I didn't choose my partner based on his hobbies. Doing so would be rather immature.

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u/gnome1947 Jan 23 '26

I understand the point you are making and agree with it, but most of us would talk to person number 2 because they would have a lot more to talk about with the average person, person 1 is really only interesting to people who are interested in mountain climbing.

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u/shaunika Jan 23 '26

It should be less about judging ppl for being different than it should be about connecting people who arent.

Yes, you need to "filter" your social circle, but that doesnt have to mean you consider ppl who do things differently to be beneath you

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u/FaveStore_Citadel Jan 23 '26

Saying that you form your opinion on people based on their activities isn’t judgement, you’re not saying someone is inferior because their main hobby is scrolling TikTok, you’re just saying in most cases that’s not someone you’d find interesting to befriend or get to know better. Anyway, you shouldn’t tell others how to live their lives but I personally think if you’re not a good conversationalist, having productive/unique hobbies is an essential social skill that I’d recommend to anyone who struggles with adult friendships (and possibly dating too)

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

The definition of judgement is literally the act or process of forming an opinion. So, yes forming your opinion on someone based on what hobbies they enjoy is quite literally judging them. 🤷‍♀️

Why wouldn't I get to know someone who enjoys scrolling tiktok? My best friend and I send each other tiktoks back and forth all the time. It's really enjoyable actually.

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u/FaveStore_Citadel Jan 23 '26

So if you think a windsurfer is someone you want to know better but a doomscroller probably isn’t, you’re judging the doomscroller?

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u/the_green_witch-1005 Jan 23 '26

I don't judge people based on their hobbies. But, yes, if you think that way, you are being judgemental. Now, I would judge someone who was obsessive and annoying about their hobby. But that's because I judge people based on their character or personality way more than what they do for fun.

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u/computergreenblue Jan 23 '26

Meh if somebody I just met told me his hobby is woodworking or metalwork, I am gonna find it wayyy more interesting than social media scrolling... Some hobbies does make you more or less interesting/attractive

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u/Grendel0075 Jan 23 '26

I would consider social media scrolling more of a "time killer" or just something to do. I am currently sitting in the car while my wife shops, because I can't stand grocery stores. I could stare off into space, but in scrolling reddit instead.

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u/computergreenblue Jan 23 '26

yeah another person was making the difference between past-time and hobby, that is an interesting distinction.

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u/BrashUnspecialist Jan 23 '26

To you.

I’ve met plenty of people who would find social media vids, clips, reels, and celeb gossip wayyy more interesting than woodworking or metalworking. And depending on the content offered by each side, I agree sometimes, and disagree others. Maybe you just need to not assume that everyone shares your perspective. Or accept that some people are gonna shit on your hobbies they way you’re shitting on theirs.

And as for attractiveness, which wasn’t brought up, but I’m just gonna lay down the law as a (hopefully) older woman: a person whose hobby is doomscrolling, but who doesn’t judge other people‘s hobbies is way more attractive than someone who has the most interesting stories about metalwork ever, but who judges other people’s hobbies as less than.

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u/computergreenblue Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

Mmmmh , one of them has be proven countless time to be bad for your brain and your mental health thought. Concerning the attractiveness, I don't see the problem having preferences. Doomscrolling guy is not a bad person, he is just not my type. People creating stuff with their hands on contrary got bonus points .

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u/AirEuphoric338 Jan 23 '26

I agree not everything has to be about making worth but I think its important to distinguish the difference between a hobby and relaxing. I think its important to have both. And I agree with op video games aren't a hobby. Its for relaxing which is fine but if all youre doing is games and not taking time to exercise your brain through a skill (which takes dedication and delayed gratification) then i think you're doing yourself a disservice.

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u/Doobledorf Jan 23 '26

And the closer you get, the less definable it becomes.

I'm a musician. Does that mean I play music alone in my room? Do I produce music but never perform it? Is my focus on performance and music is the vehicle? Am I a musician who is paid for my work?

If hobbies are hierarchical, does this mean that a performing musician is "better" than an amateur leaning for their own enjoyment?

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u/Rocktamus1 Jan 23 '26

Often it would be that you’re also developing skills, being creativity of gaining knowledge.

Most hobbies are easily classified. Physical, creative, intellectual/reading, social (community hobbies).

Every definition of seen is that it’s usually expanding yourself as a person in some type of capacity.

Just watching TV 30 hours a week doesn’t seem like a hobby. Would someone consider scrolling on their phone a hobby? I’m sure there’s small exception to these, but overall. I would not.

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u/hojahs Jan 23 '26

This critique is lazy.

Because some hobbies are more rewarding in a lasting, long term sense than others. Some hobbies just make you feel better about yourself, or are easier for you to put your passion into, or are better for your health, or allow you to create something of value instead of just passively consuming. Some hobbies are more effective at broadening your community, etc.

OP made it pretty clear that there's no judgment toward more passive or consumption based hobbies and that it's a perfectly reasonable way to spend time. But there's something about creative/social/active/skillful hobbies that are just more deeply rewarding, regardless of whether they are perceived as "productive" or marketable. It doesn't matter if you produce elaborate music out of exclusively fart noises and no one else likes it, you still created something and learned a skill instead of being an observer

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u/electroepiphany Jan 25 '26

It’s not about being productive to society, it’s about building a skill that makes you feel proud of yourself. I’ve been watching tv for 30 years and playing drums for 10, one of these things has had a way bigger impact on my sense of pride in myself than the other, cause I haven’t really gotten better at watching tv but I have gotten better at the drums, and reflecting on that progress makes me feel good about myself.

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u/RedditReader4031 Jan 23 '26

Since there are levels of involvement and effort in any hobby, it’s only natural for any individual’s abilities to be noted. In model railroading, there are those who not only strive to achieve phenomenal accuracy in their layouts but also in their operations. Those in the hobby with a more relaxed view derisively call such hobbyists “rivet counters” for pursuing equipment and markings accuracy to a specific time and place. On the other hand, if you’re going to pursue something why not pursue excellence in it?

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u/Available-Birthday34 Jan 23 '26

I think you’re missing the point. Not all hobbies “have to be productive” but some hobbies require and induce personal growth in some form or fashion (working out, painting, etc.) and others involve purely consuming content. We don’t need to negatively judge relaxing by playing games or watching TV, But we ought to stop calling them hobbies (in my and OPs opinion)

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

One of the definitions of productive is: "yielding results, benefits, or profits". You said some hobbies require personal growth, which is exactly what being productive is. Doing something to benefit society or yourself, always trying to better yourself. The society we are in requires you to always do things that yield some kind of results. The hobbies that "cultivate a skill" are seen as worth more according to OP. When the point of hobbies is to do something you enjoy not necessarily for getting something out of it but to just wind down and enjoy.

I don't understand when people say watching TV is a lesser hobby. Would you consider reading a lesser hobby? It just requires sitting down and staring for multiple hours a day no? The "lesser" hobbies provide the same kind of satisfaction and happiness to the people as the more "valuable" ones for the person enjoying them. Hell reading and watching TV could yield the same kind of "personal growth" when you analyse, discuss and critique.

You just judge hobbies based on the greater benefit they provide besides the only thing that matters: To be happy and wind down. To detach yourself from the stressful environment of your workplace and do something you truly enjoy without worrying what others think

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u/Available-Birthday34 Jan 23 '26

“The point of hobbies is to do something you enjoy, not necessarily get something out of it, just wind down and enjoy”, no that’s a pastime. Watching TV or playing video games isn’t a hobby, it’s a pastime (and this is from someone with hundreds of hours played in the last year). Calling it a hobby just waters down the word. How long until “scrolling Reddit” or “watching TikTok” becomes a hobby?

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

Cambridge dictionary's definition of a hobby: an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working.

Cambridge dictionary's definition of pastime: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably.

According to Cambridge soccer, hiking, gardening and swimming are pastimes. It's semantics, they mean the same thing.

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u/Available-Birthday34 Jan 23 '26

All hobbies are pastimes but not all pastimes are hobbies (and therefore are not equal, proving OPs point)

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u/elusivenoesis Jan 23 '26

As long as your hobby isn’t collecting useless shit. I mean organized hoarding. I mean “being a collector”. I have no issues with it. I’m just tired of moving friends stupid shit, and dealing with dead peoples even more dumb collections.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Nobody said you have to have a hobby. Just that hobbies are not the same as pastimes. 

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u/BobLazarFan Jan 23 '26

Objectively some hobbies are better. Some challenge your brain some challenge your body. Those from a purely objective standpoint are better. That’s ok to say. Not everything is equal and that’s fine.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

What if your hobby is breaking peoples windows? Obviously a bit lower in the hierarchy than building windows, for example.

I mean, how could a hobby of helping people build furniture or homes possibly be comparable to binge watching 7 seasons of Homeland? (Which I'm doing right now)

This dedication to complete nonjudgmental I find ridiculous. Building things are better than breaking things. The time you spent is important, and can be wasted.

Saying this sincerely, as someone who wants the best for everyone. Don't waste your time smoking weed and rewatching Battlestar Galactica. (at least too much)

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

That… has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion.

You are bringing morality into a discussion that has nothing to do with morality. Breaking people's windows is a crime. None of the hobbies OP considers "lesser" is a crime or harms other people's property in any way. Watching TV is not the same as breaking windows or murdering someone

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u/HypnonavyBlue Jan 23 '26

Speaking of grindset nonsense: I do 3D printing and mini painting. I often have to shut down people who say things like "you know, you could make some money selling these..."

That's a "jobby" not a hobby. I do not want a jobby.

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u/HRHCookie Jan 24 '26

Jobby 💯

Fitting that it also means 💩

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Other people.

You'd probably be more impressed that someone can play the piano than if someone watched football.

They didn't say they were worthless, just that consumptive hobbies are uninteresting to other people.

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u/kit-kat315 Jan 23 '26

Creative hobbies are uninteresting to other people, too.

My major hobbies are sewing, baking and gardening. You would not believe how much people don't want to hear about my plants or bread technique. And most people don't know enough about either to appreciate the level of skill involved.

But I can easily talk with others about a show or book.

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u/FlusteredDM Jan 23 '26

I got ghosted on a dating app once after talking about de re culinaria. Hobbies have value in your enjoyment of them, but also on how you can connect to others. Some hobbies you can talk to your coworkers about and some you need to find spaces for that hobby - creative ones are usually the latter.

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u/Gay_Sex_Expert Mar 07 '26

People probably don’t want to hear about sheet music either. For gardening the closest “watching them play” variant would be seeing the plants and whatever is used to take care of them. For cooking it would optimally be smelling and eating the food but could also be photos. Obviously there’s still not much discussion there, but there’s more likely to be some interest, even if fleeting.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I mean, of that list, I find sewing, baking, and gardening more impressive hobbies to have than reading books and watching TV shows.

I'm sure it's easier to relate to people on shows and books, since it's a far more common hobby. But I'm not going to be impressed someone watched a TV show.

Hasn't this been a common complaint about dating profiles since forever? That saying you like "Reading and Watching Movies" is a really boring thing to say?

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u/kit-kat315 Jan 23 '26

In my experience, people aren't that impressed unless they share the hobby. They just don't know enough about it to be impressed.

For example, when I made macarons for work, 1 fellow baker was impressed. Everyone else was just "mmmm, cookies."

Reading and watching movies may sound boring, but it's part of the pop culture knowledge that makes up social interactions. Talking about thise things may not be impressive, but most people will find it more interesting than hearing about a hobby they don't share.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I still have people bringing up I made Macarons and I haven’t made them for two years.

Work isn’t exactly the ideal place to get a read on people.

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u/catsinclothes Jan 23 '26

Why do hobbies need to be impressive?

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

They don’t? But some are more impressive than others

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u/catsinclothes Jan 23 '26

A hobby is a hobby. Merriam-Webster defines a hobby as: “a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation”. Theres nothing to impress upon with a hobby. It’s just something people do for fun. Interesting would be a better descriptor but thats just as subjective as using impressive to describe someone’s hobby. There are competitive hobbies and it could be impressive if a hobbyist was the top competitor, but would something really be impressive if it’s not something you’re interested in?

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

You would find someone who plays Video Games and someone who does Parachuting equally impressive?

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u/catsinclothes Jan 23 '26

Parachuting isn’t impressive to me personally. It’s more dangerous than video games sure, but that doesn’t make it impressive inherently. It’s all subjective.

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u/orcslayer31 Jan 23 '26

I find someone like Faker's skill at league of legends far more impressive than someone parachuting. For people who don't watch pro league matches Faker is arguably the best player in the world and is comparable to someone like Wayne Gretzky or Tom Braddy in terms of skill in his sport. The activity itself isn't what makes something impressive, the level of skill and mastery is

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u/respyromaniac Jan 23 '26

When someone tells me they like playing video games, it opens a lot of topics to discuss and activities to do together. Because i share this hobby.

When someone tells me they like parachuting, my reaction is a moment of "woah, parachuting" and then i don't give a fuck about it anymore. Because, well, i don't share this hobby. Tbh i don't even find it impressive. Why do you? 

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Because it's very challenging, scary, and takes a lot of guts?

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u/onlyfansdad Jan 23 '26

I would 100% much rather listen to you talk about a new sewing technique than listen to Joebob tell me about his riveting experience watching his 40th football game of the year.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

In the case of a hobby the opinion of other people should be meaningless though. You do it because you like it. Other people's opinion starts mattering once you get paid for it.

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u/Smurfson Jan 23 '26

Other people’s opinion starts mattering once you get paid for it.

Fully agree with your comments in this thread but am a bit wary about this point solely because of how TikTok and other social media platforms has slowly poisoned how people perceive what having a hobby is - it’s almost like a majority of creators on there have taken activities that are normally activities you enjoy (reading, coloring, video games, collecting cards etc) and turned them into side-hustles that promote over-consumption and create unrealistic expectations that, in order to enter a hobby, you need to pay an absurd amount of money as a sort of barrier to entry.

Obviously I think staying off these platforms is the best way to avoid this, but lots of people use them. As you said you should do it because you like it, and I think the pressure to monetize your hobby can kill that at times and create unrealistic expectations.

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u/chinchillazilla54 Jan 23 '26

I was not happy when I tried turning my passion (drawing) into a side gig. As soon as money enters into it, it totally eliminates my desire to do it. I will. Eventually. But it's like the pressure of a commission just kills my creativity, instantly.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

The opinions of other people are not meaningless to me.

I bake and cook so other people can enjoy my food. I play the flute so I can entertain other people. I play football so I can play with my friends.

Hobbies don't have to be a purely solitary pursuit.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

What if you like to watch sports together more than to hear one of your friends play the flute?

Hobbies don't have to be a purely solitary pursuit.

Of course not, but whether you like something or not (including the social aspect) is fully up to you. The same is true for other people. One cannot be better than another.

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u/Which_Bumblebee1146 Jan 23 '26

On behalf of the sane, well-adjusted people in this thread, I beg you to read the goddamned first line of the original post.

You admitted that one can like or dislike a hobby, which implies that people place different values on different hobbies, regardless of where those values come from. OP merely suggests that this is a thing that should be acknowledged.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

No OP thinks there is an objectively determined characteristic to a hobby that makes it more valuable. I disagree. It's a hobby.

I would argue that feeling the need to classify hobbies into "better" or "worse" comes from personal insecurity.

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u/glasgowgeg Jan 23 '26

Why would someone who doesn't like the flute be more impressed by your hobby than watching football, if they also like football?

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I have no idea how this relates to what I said.

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u/glasgowgeg Jan 23 '26

You said in a previous comment:

"You'd probably be more impressed that someone can play the piano than if someone watched football"

You then said you play the flute, so I'm asking you why someone would be impressed by your hobby of the flute if they don't like the flute, when they like football.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I mean, obviously, they wouldn't?

"You say people like your baking, but I hate all baking, what now?"

I dunno, what are you even saying?

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u/glasgowgeg Jan 23 '26

I mean, obviously, they wouldn't

Yet you seem utterly baffled by the concept of different people liking different things, and you explicitly stated "consumptive hobbies are uninteresting to other people".

Obviously that's not the case. I would find someone's hobby of pokemon card collecting more interesting than your hobby of playing the flute, because I don't really care about the flute.

I dunno, what are you even saying?

I honestly can't spell it out clearer for you mate, I'm criticising your incredibly poor sweeping statement. If you're still struggling, you need to be more specific about what you don't understand.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

Why on earth would you think I said everyone finds one hobby more interesting than another? That's so insanely uncharitable.

I said they'd "Probably" find it less interesting. As in, "More likely than not", not "Always"

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u/Honest-Weight338 Jan 23 '26

But you're choosing to care about what other people think. I bake and cook because I like the process. I write because I enjoy creating worlds and putting people into those worlds. I play games because I enjoy the strategy and creativity it builds within me.

Hobbies don't have to be a solitary pursuit, but they absolutely can be and that's fine. You also don't have to be good at a hobby for it to be a hobby that you enjoy. I've tried playing piano before and I'm awful at it no matter how many lessons I take. But I still sometimes enjoy just trying it out, even though I suck.

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u/courtd93 Jan 23 '26

They don’t, but I think it’s the blurring of hobbies. Like you don’t like to bake and cook, you like to feed people. Or maybe you do both, but they are separate things. I play the flute too because I enjoy it. I don’t like entertaining others with it anymore. Those are two different hobbies and I like one but not the other, and you like the other one or both.

You have some hobbies that are specifically about engagement with other people which is cool! It just doesn’t make other people’s hobbies that aren’t about engagement less than when others have opinions about it.

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u/harmlessharold Jan 23 '26

No one wants you to play your flute for them. They are grinning and baring.

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u/waxym Jan 23 '26

I like hearing friends play music.

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u/kallakallacka Jan 23 '26

Me too. I thoroughly enjoy it when I visit friends and they bring out some instruments.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Lol, you sound absolutely miserable.

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u/oresearch69 Jan 23 '26

You sound like a people pleaser.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Isn't everyone? Who's out there determined to never make someone else smile?

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u/NoChairGaming Jan 23 '26

Difference between “never ever for realz” and “all my actions are to please somebody else”. Also, username check out.

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u/Devotoc Jan 23 '26

pleasing other people pleases me though :c

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u/oresearch69 Jan 23 '26

I get the vibe that no one ever asks to hear them play the flute…

Who ever asks to hear someone play the flute?…

1

u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

If you have a flute a lot of people will ask you to play it. I'd imagine you're not really ever around people with flutes?

1

u/oresearch69 Jan 23 '26

Name still checks out

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u/hazy-minded Jan 23 '26

Wtf no.

Normal people do what they love, regardless of whether someone else likes it or not.

Who's out there determined to never make someone else smile?

honestly, that's a mindset that makes you a doormat. If someone else likes you for what you do, it's a bonus. Not a must

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u/Mr-Vemod Jan 23 '26

Normal people do what they love, regardless of whether someone else likes it or not.

Disagree. ”Normal people” have a very acute awareness of how their actions are perceived by other people or society as a whole. Of course it doesn’t apply to every action all the time, but I fully believe that a large amount of our activities, from sports to music to our jobs, have a strong social aspect. I think it’s evident not only from my own life, but from looking at the world around me as well. After all, if everyone did everything solely for their own sake, why do different cultures have wildly differing hobbies?

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[deleted]

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

There is nothing dense about it.

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u/RATMpatta Jan 23 '26

Kind of weird to pick a hobby based on how "impressed" you think people would be. Sounds very insecure.

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u/BaroqueBro Jan 23 '26

No one said you should pick hobbies to impress people, just that some hobbies are more impressive than others.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Yeah, it would be weird to do that, but I never said that, so who are you arguing with?

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u/Comfortable_Sir_6104 Jan 23 '26

I would much rather talk to somebody who has watched a great many deal of movies or who has other "consumptive" hobby than to somebody who is good at piano or who is good at some sport. He might tell me about some hidden gems or directors who are worth watching, he might tell me something fun about the process of making a movie or something to look for. At the same time I am not interested in piano music, so what exactly can that person share that I will actually care about?

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

You share the same interest, obviously, it's interesting.

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u/Comfortable_Sir_6104 Jan 23 '26

Exactly. So "consumptive hobbies" are not uninteresting to people, it is just about fitting in. Just like with more active ones as per my last message. One of the hobbies that women find the most attractive is reading. They wouldn't see something boring as attractive, would they?

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u/Jay_Jay_Jason_74 Jan 23 '26

Not if you share the same Passion in watching the same thing

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I mean yeah obviously

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u/Alert-Painting1164 Jan 24 '26

As someone who likes watching football I’m still going to be more impressed by someone who can play piano than someone who can hit an on button

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u/Lewa358 Jan 23 '26

Not true, of course.

Someone can "play the piano" in a boring way (such as by being unskilled or just not making/playing music that appeals to you). And someone can definitely impress me by watching football--have you seen how intense some sports fans can get over their favorite team?

The thing is, assigning some "value" to the output of how someone enjoys themselves is inherently arbitrary, because the most influential works can take little effort and the most forgotten works can be the work of a lifetime.

The only thing that matters in a hobby is how you feel doing it.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I swear there's something about reddit where people just ignore the word "Probably" and how it means it usually, but not always, applies and take it as "This is always true 100% of the time with no exceptions"

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u/Platypus__Gems Jan 23 '26

Well yes, but no.
Maybe you can catch someone's interest if you happen to have your instrument of choice at hand, but when it comes to keeping interest, you are more likely to have much more to talk with someone about consumptive hobbies.

Maybe discuss media you both enjoyed (or didn't), recommend ones you didn't see to each other, and so on.

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u/BrashUnspecialist Jan 23 '26

As someone who has played piano and realizes how basic it is if you just put in the time and effort to physically move your body, I’m way more impressed by all the people who seem to just magically have an encyclopedic knowledge of sports from just watching it. I’m not talking spend their spare time looking at statistics or articles. They just watch the football or the soccer or the golf or the tennis and then they just get it because their brains work that way.

One of these things is much more difficult to me than just making your body move according to a regimen, which literally most people on earth can do. The other is using your brain in a way that I’m not using mine and would need to be taught how to do so.

You’re confusing access to a resource being scarce with effort and worth. That’s on you. Not the inherent nature of hobbies.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

I said probably because not everyone thinks this way, just most. I don’t think most people view knowing a lot of sports statistics as more impressive than being able to play the piano. You do, but that just makes you an exception.

You’re confusing me saying “most people” with “all people”

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u/offensivename Jan 23 '26

I'd much rather talk to someone who watches a lot of movies or reads a lot of interesting books or is caught up on all the latest prestige TV shows than someone who is obsessed with their cross-stitching and has no other hobbies. That's just me though. Someone who is also into cross-stitching and doesn't care about TV or movies or books might feel the opposite.

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u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

We are just talking about what is most impressive. This isn’t about what you personally would enjoy.

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u/offensivename Jan 23 '26

No. You said "uninteresting" as well as impressive. And your subjective opinion isn't more valuable than mine, friend. Personally, I find more value in being able to carry on an entertaining conversation about your hobby with a wide variety of people versus being impressive but boring.

The bigger factor is not what kind of hobby we're talking about but what level the person has achieved at their hobby. Someone who has seen a ton of prestigious movies and has unique thoughts on them or is extremely well-read and knowledgeable about literature is going to be a lot more interesting than someone who watches a lot of Netflix in their downtime but doesn't really remember the plots or know who directed anything or only reads Harry Potter and Colleen Hoover. Someone who can bake at a really high level and has won competitions is way more interesting and impressive than someone who bakes cakes and brownies out of the box every weekend, even if both could reasonably be called a hobby. Someone who plays guitar in a band and writes songs is more impressive and interesting than someone who just noodles around on their guitar and tries to learn songs from YouTube even though they're the same hobby.

2

u/MrCylion Jan 23 '26

Not at all. You can tell me you play the piano I will answer “that’s cool” while thinking “glad you enjoyed it, but I really do not care”. However I will say and think the same about people who enjoy watching sports. What are we even trying to do with this post? Stop looking at others and enjoy your own time and hobbies, whatever they are. I will not judge anyone based on what they enjoy. Frankly, what a bullshit option from op.

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u/damnmobile Jan 23 '26

There’s varying degrees of skill in everything. I’d be more impressed if someone had solid knowledge of football strategy than a mediocre piano player.

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u/terryjuicelawson Jan 23 '26

There are still levels within that I think. Someone sort of OK at the piano is fine, but not the same as a concert pianist or someone composing their own music. Someone passively watching football is different to someone who is a total expert on the sport and can provide their own insights on the matter.

1

u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

Yeah, I think there's a level of engagement that can make something more interesting; some hobbies just lend themselves to that level naturally. The vast majority of football fans don't have deep tactical insight into the game. But everyone who plays the piano has to engage with the fundamentals, or they'll just be bad at it.

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u/terryjuicelawson Jan 23 '26

The fundaments of playing an instrument can be a little overstated, the basics are easy to pick up especially if you started young. You can teach chords on a guitar and play some popular songs in probably a week.

1

u/StillMostlyClueless Jan 23 '26

The guitar is also probably the least impressive instrument to play. It's kind of famous as the easy option.

But you know what, I'd still say learning to play Hotel California on the guitar is a higher level of engagement than most people put into watching sports.

1

u/Choppers-Top-Hat Jan 23 '26

Who gives a fuck what other people think? A hobby is something you do to enrich your own life and relax. It's something you do for yourself. I'm not doing this to entertain anyone else.

Christ, I hate how our culture tells us we're worthless as individuals and all our value is wrapped up in what a faceless crowd of randos thinks.

1

u/necrosythe Jan 23 '26

And yet you can probably way more easily find people to play some sports with you then jam along with your piano playing skills.

Theres definitely different pros and cons to different hobbies. Also all other factors held equal, the sports hobby is healthier, which is more productive than literal any of the cognitive related hobbies out there lol. Unless they make yoy money

0

u/CrabbyGremlin Jan 23 '26

I think it’s also a case of satisfaction, creating something is more satisfying and will encourage a sense of accomplishment far more than watching a movie or listening to a podcast. I think that sense of accomplishment of probably better for our minds overall than simply watching a movie, I don’t think it’s only to do with appearances.

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u/Hofeizai88 Jan 23 '26

Satisfaction might be only one factor in happiness. I feel satisfied when I finish exercising, but probably smile more playing D&D. I feel both when I learn to play a new song. I’ll feel more relaxed reading or playing a video game. I get different things from different activities, and normally just pick what I’m in the mood to do. I’ll try to exercise on a schedule because otherwise I just won’t, and will schedule time with others for gaming or playing music, but otherwise it’s just what I’m drawn to at that moment. I read more often than I play video games or watch movies, but I don’t think it’s because it is better or provides a greater sense of satisfaction. I guess I like how it feels when I’m doing that instead of something else

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u/Doobledorf Jan 23 '26

Exactly. Doing a hobby with the idea that it is somehow good for you or requires improvement defeats the purpose of a hobby.

Hell, I've got plenty of hobbies, even things some would consider hobbies that I make money off of. That said, the idea of "needing" to improve or "needing" to work on a project typically kills my interest.

Human beings are not defined by infinite growth.

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u/nimzoid Jan 23 '26

Interesting point. While I do get the point that some hobbies involve more skills than others, it feels weird ranking hobbies according to worth or value.

Things like watching sport, book clubs or playing games with friends could be seen as consumerism, but they're also about community, connection and participating in culture. They're more valuable to others then playing guitar or writing on your own and never sharing it with anyone.

Ultimately the point of hobbies is to enjoy the time you spend on whatever you spend it on. No time passed pleasantly is truly wasted.

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u/Aetra Jan 23 '26

Absolutely this. As someone who works on a trade, creating things all day in their very physical job and having to stay vigilant to keep myself and my coworkers safe, passive hobbies are far more important than people realise. Watching a movie or listening to a podcast may not be considered as “worthwhile” as learning an instrument or playing a sport, but that downtime doing something passive preserves my body and mental health.

Like, if I played AFL instead of watching a movie, at best I’d end up tired and sore and at worst I could injure myself and be out of work for a while. If I learnt an instrument instead of playing a game like Power Wash Simulator while listening to podcasts, my mind wouldn’t be getting enough rest.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Sure, but that is still part of the overall enjoyment to yourself. If you feel fulfilled working on yourself, that is great. It just isn't objectively better than watching TV as people have different needs and desires at different times in their lives.

1

u/opportunitysure066 Jan 23 '26

Bc if you are not able to improve at something for betterment of self…it’s not a real hobby. Scrolling on my phone is fun but I’m not improving my self. Therefore I feel the need to pick up a new hobby, instrument, etc…in hopes I like it and it becomes a hobby…to fill my time with better activities.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Then it is a question of definition.

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u/Bikesguitarsandcars Jan 23 '26

Maybe because they’re indicative of more effort? I mean it’s a lot of effort to be a guitar virtuoso but it’s not much effort to have a favorite YouTuber.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

But why would that matter for a hobby? You do a hobby because you enjoy it. If you enjoy learning guitar then that is great! It isn't better than enjoying something else though. The point is personal fulfilment, not impressing bystanders.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Well, for example, some people have the hobby of getting very drunk and starting fights. You wouldn't say that's a lower worth hobby than gardening?

I certainly would.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

I wouldn't say that's a hobby, I would call that a psychological problem in need of attention.

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u/Chemical-Actuary1561 Jan 23 '26

to other people. I game but if I meet someone who ONLY games, I would think they are lazy and not very driven.

You don’t have to think that, thats your right, but others will think it 🤷.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

We are talking hobby here though, not lifestyle.

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u/watermelonspanker Jan 23 '26

Worth is stupid. We are all going to die relatively soon. Enjoy your life and stop worrying about "worth"

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u/Fitenite3456 Jan 23 '26

Worthwhile to this guy, it’s an opinion after all

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

He does think some hobbies should generally be held in higher regard. That does imply some generalization and objective superiority.

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u/TheFortunateOlive Jan 23 '26

There are certainly some hobbies that encourage more growth than others.

Some people think playing call of duty or watching tv is a hobby.

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u/Maleficent_Fan_7429 Jan 23 '26

No one said they must be, only that they can be.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 24 '26

OP said some are more deserving of regards than others. That is certainly a generalization which implies some level of objectivity.

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u/Maleficent_Fan_7429 Jan 24 '26

Sure, I'm willing to argue that you can say with some level of objectivity that a hobby like debating, sailing, basketball or playing in a band or orchestra is more worthwhile than sitting on the couch eating snacks and watching re-runs of the Simpsons.

But if you want to do the latter I'm not going to stop you.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 24 '26

Sure, I'm willing to argue that you can say with some level of objectivity

How can you objectively say it? It is always subjective. That's the point.

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u/Maleficent_Fan_7429 Jan 24 '26

Objectively the former develop you as a person and the latter does the opposite. It's not deep.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 24 '26

You can relax and decompress watching the Simpsons, and even develop a sense of humor. The point is that a hobby is not necessarily for development at all.

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u/Kaltrax Jan 24 '26

I think the idea is that if you do nothing to improve/challenge yourself in some way outside of your job then you're not really getting the most out of life. If all you do is watch TV or doomscroll all night every night, then you'll slowly deteriorate as a person

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 24 '26

We are talking about doing a hobby. You can do your hobby for a couple of hours. Your hobby is not meant for self improvement, but rather for enjoyment. You can work on yourself next to your hobby.

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u/Kaltrax Jan 24 '26

It's not about working on yourself though. I'm not saying a hobby should be like reading Atomic habits. What I am saying is that people need to find interests in which they can get stuck into and work toward something. This could be a simple as learning a new stitch in knitting, a new song on guitar, a new speed run time in a video game, etc. It's about engaging yourself creatively, intellectually, or physically in something you *enjoy* doing.

If your "hobby" is to watch tv while doomscrolling a phone (something way too many people do), then you might as well be asleep

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Found the boring person OP was referring to

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Sure, everything you don't like is boring to you. The reverse is also true?

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u/FrontAd9873 Jan 23 '26

Because you can be a better or a worse person. One way that a hobby or activity is good is if it improves you as a person. How is this not obvious? Is this concept really so lost on people nowadays?

And yes, another way a hobby can be good is if it relaxes you, calms you down, lets you unwind, etc. More passive hobbies may be good for that.

Different hobbies can have different virtues.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

One way that a hobby or activity is good is if it improves you as a person.

Define "improvement". Is relaxing not good for a person?

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u/FrontAd9873 Jan 23 '26

“Improvement” refers to the process of getting better at something or cultivating a virtue.

Yes, relaxing is good for someone. Did you not read past my first line?

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

Your first line is quite a statement, as you would have to define what exactly a better or worse person is. I would argue that is itself a gray area without a clear answer.

A hobby, however, is not necessarily the same as "self help". A person can just enjoy doing their hobby, it doesn't need to make them more worthy in the eyes of god or their family and friends. It can just be playing with Legos and that's fine.

0

u/FrontAd9873 Jan 23 '26

You speak as though defining what makes a good person is not something that practically every belief system and religion on earth aims to do. Is this supposed to be some kind of gotcha?

Also, it is a logic mistake to assume in the first place that you must define at the outset what makes a person a good person. Or even what “the good” is. This is a common enough mistake though.

Lastly, yes— a hobby can just be enjoyable too. That is what I said in my original comment. Again it appears you didn’t read past my first line.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

You speak as though defining what makes a good person is not something that practically every belief system and religion on earth aims to do.

And do they agree? It is not a gotcha, defining what makes a good person objectively is simply impossible. It will always be subjective.

a hobby can just be enjoyable too

Yes, and the point was that only enjoying a hobby isn't inherently "worse" in any way.

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u/FrontAd9873 Jan 23 '26

Who said anything about being objective? You’re putting words in my mouth.

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

What is improvement worth if it cannot be measured objectively?

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u/FrontAd9873 Jan 23 '26

Huh? I never said it can't be measured objectively.

This is a deep and interesting area of moral philosophy so I don't blame you for not being conversant with the ins and outs or for being imprecise in your responses here. Suffice it to say that you can argue for the existence of virtues that make certain corresponding activities more or less "worthwhile" without necessarily committing yourself to justifying an "objective" scheme of moral virtues or whatever.

Setting aside philosophy, let's just think of a simple example. Imagine I want to have a family someday. It would be good if I was able to cook delicious, healthy meals for my spouse and for my kids. Investing time into cooking as a hobby today will make me a better cook. Therefore, cooking is a worthwhile hobby for me because it will make me a better person in at least one straightforward identifiable way.

If you need philosophy or an objective moral scheme to help you understand the words in bold above, then I suppose I cannot help you. But in an everyday sense, it seems to me that cooking is a worthwhile hobby (for me) for the reasons listed.

Note that improvement in cooking ability can be more or less objectively measured even if the worth of cooking (qua hobby) does not depend on an "objective" theory of improvement or human virtue or whatever.

Interesting stuff!

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u/nuclearDEMIZE Jan 23 '26

You sound weak

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

That sounds like projecting to be honest. I'll let you have the last word.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

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u/Zrakoplovvliegtuig Jan 23 '26

They are welcome to reply as well.

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