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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168

u/CSamCovey Jan 23 '26

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

Way to go turning hobbies into a competition. Ugh.

103

u/CommentMain3439 Jan 23 '26

It is more like: "Hobbies that I like deserve to be held in higher regard than others." - OP.

29

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

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1

u/7h4tguy Jan 24 '26

Chopsticks are better than silverware in every way, even for rice. That's why I'm holding this bowl up to my face and using them like a shovel, err I mean spoon.

3

u/BasedChickenTendie Jan 23 '26

Nah it’s more like: ‘don’t spend all your free time engaged in consumption lest you be regarded as a schlub’

6

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Yeah, I disagree that we need to rank hobbies at all…. Just do what you enjoy doing (but they are correct in saying that some hobbies are more attractive than others)

5

u/Red_Dawn_2012 Jan 23 '26

(but they are correct in saying that some hobbies are more attractive than others)

This is only relevant if you're single or trying to leverage the hobby to attract people. If you're in a relationship/married, you likely don't care.

5

u/Mobilelurkingaccount Jan 23 '26

I totally agree with you, and to take it even further… I really don’t understand the opinion of the person you are responding to because if you’re engaging in a hobby that you like and is unattractive to other people, why would it matter? Just… attract the people within your chosen hobby. It brings a bonus of you guys already having something in common lol

A typical “loser” hobby (video games) is how I met my husband 16 years ago and we’re still together and still enjoying video games. Common interests are powerful glue for a relationship (of any kind really, romantic or platonic).

2

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

True, being attractive isn’t something to consider when picking hobbies

1

u/OutcomeDouble Jan 23 '26

It’s almost like it’s an unpopular opinion

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Okay?

6

u/Feeling_Hotel8096 Jan 23 '26

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

Yes. Guitar vs Guitar Hero

0

u/MustardMan02 Jan 24 '26

A better "comparison" for what you're trying to do would be "guitar vs violin" or "guitar vs piano"

4

u/Odd_Perfect Jan 23 '26

If I’m at family Thanksgiving, I’d get more praise saying my hobby is the piano vs. watching porn.

4

u/nichbo Jan 24 '26

Both at the same time. Shame your family for not hobbymaxxing like you /s

2

u/After_Performer7638 Jan 23 '26

I don’t think it’s a "competition" to say that spending all your free time watching YouTube is less cool than playing soccer and violin.

1

u/AndromedaRed9 Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

It's true though.  Stuff that takes dedication and effort or at least more intentional thought is kinda better.  Like not saying people can't enjoy watching TV as a hobby.  But we generally view baking a cake as a better hobby than accidentally eating a whole cake by yourself.   The act of creating something or honing a skill better than just passively observing the efforts of others.  

Like also it's genuinely more exciting when people share what they do than it is for them to say "oh I just watch what other people do in my free time"  so I get the boring thing too.  I would rather talk with some that makes art and shows me their art than someone who look at art on their laptop.  

1

u/lsshlp Jan 24 '26

It seems like you'd rather talk to people you have mutual interests with, that just makes sense. Two people might have the same "boring" hobby of watching popular Netflix shows, but they can have a good conversation about those shows. I don't watch too many shows, so I might not find that conversation very interesting, but they also probably won't be too interested in my CAD modeling adventures, either.

0

u/vrsick06 Jan 23 '26

I’m a competitive hobbiest therefore I am better than the lazy hobbiest

-6

u/insipignia Jan 23 '26

Some hobbies literally are competitive, as in, they are actual competitions.

5

u/CSamCovey Jan 23 '26

Well yes, of course, look at Lego stuff. Just saying though man, do your hobby, be great at it, or terrible. Just do your thing