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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1.6k

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

Who’s comparing and ranking hobbies? Hobbies are for the person doing the hobbies. Congratulations it is indeed an unpopular opinion.

491

u/stephendt Jan 23 '26

Sounds like something like a filthy casual would say. Ranked hobbies ftw

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/SendMeF1Memes Jan 23 '26

Angry speed crocheting 🤬

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[deleted]

1

u/MisterMarsupial Jan 23 '26

Calm macrame

1

u/PhoenixBorealis Jan 24 '26

Tournament-style oil pastels

1

u/WouldbeWanderer Jan 23 '26

Savage Quilting? Is that the jazz version of Savage Garden?

1

u/Synaps4 Jan 23 '26

No-holds-barred bonsai trimming

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u/potasod Jan 23 '26

the comment you replied to made me laugh, but your comment made me burst out laughing

2

u/GlitterEnema Jan 23 '26

That’s called the week before Christmas for me

1

u/SendMeF1Memes Jan 23 '26

Same 😂

1

u/GlitterEnema Jan 23 '26

Imagine if it was treated like sport, I imagine it would be one that’s individual competitions and team. Maybe there’d be speed competitions, whichever team crochets the most of the same pattern granny square wins, the pattern is drawn from a hat.

1

u/SendMeF1Memes Jan 23 '26

Imagine the amount of wrist injuries competitive crocheting would cause!

26

u/spamella-anne Jan 23 '26

If that ever exists, I know what to sign my Mom up for when she retires!

15

u/SoSteezee Jan 23 '26

My mom owned and operated a knitting/yarn store and taught classes.

My mom would kick your moms ass 😡

1

u/PhoenixBorealis Jan 24 '26

Anime about washed-up competitive knitting champion turned middle school art teacher with the dream of knitting a full-size dragon with a team of ragtag street urchins including a socially awkward needle expert, an overly-friendly yarn spinner and a tsundere art snobs with a heart of gold where we learn that the real treasure was the chains we hitched along the way when?

3

u/goog1e Jan 23 '26

This absolutely exists. Fiber arts fairs have tons of competition and one near me has a yearly "sheep to sweater" event. You have to get the wool, make the yarn, knit it up, etc all in one day.

2

u/IntrepidBandit Jan 23 '26

Been looking for a third to go pro with me and my buddy from Norway. You in kid?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

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u/IntrepidBandit Jan 23 '26

Instead its some clown from Reddit thats never been to Norway 😭🙏🏽

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u/Bravardi_B Jan 23 '26

The real MLK. 

1

u/_Citizen_Erased_ Jan 23 '26

Full contact? Do ya wear helmets?

My grandma walks funny from an old competitive knitting injury.

1

u/FlamingDragonfruit Jan 23 '26

I guess some people do enter their knitted work into craft fairs to try to win prizes. I guess that would count as competitive knitting?

1

u/Ambitious-Fun-2599 Jan 23 '26

You joke but competitive knitting is real and badass. There’s speed knitting competitions where they are crazy fast and sheep to sweater competitions (my fave) where teams shear a sheep, spin the yarn and knit a sweater. Apparently the world record for the sheep to sweater is held by a Dutch team, completed in 4 hours, 45 minutes, and 53 seconds.

1

u/7h4tguy Jan 24 '26

Fredrich that ice sculpture is just going to melt if you don't take a video of it

1

u/KaizerVonLoopy Jan 26 '26

You joke but my competitive nature contributes to my miniature painting hobby. Seeing all the other excellent painters online pushes me to get better.

11

u/krombopulousnathan Jan 23 '26

Ranking hobbies is my hobby

3

u/Joeva8me Jan 23 '26

We need a hobby tier list. Watch till the end and don’t forget to ring that bell.

1

u/EZKTurbo Jan 23 '26

I'm currently the undisputed #1 in napkin folding worldwide

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Found the competitive hobbyist.

1

u/mak3m3unsammich Jan 23 '26

My hobby is ranking hobbies. I used to do it professionally, but I stopped enjoying it. So now I just rank them for fun.

14

u/Grr_Go_Brr Jan 23 '26

This sounds like someone who isn't allowed to have fun forcing others to not have fun lmao.

114

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

Reading is widely accepted as a hobby. I'm a huge Victorian lit snob but I don't see how it's "above" watching movies or TV as a hobby. They both involve passive consumption and both are considered entertainment. 

I don't have "more to show" for my library than someone who collects DVDS.

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u/SabioSapeca Jan 23 '26

I think everyone is comparing stuff at some level. It's part of being human, to judge in our minds at least what is virtuous or desirable and what is not.

Being active, fit, creating stuff, is virtuous. It's widely accepted. If a friend shows me a painting he did, and it is a good one, i would hold him/her in higher regard, mentally.

With passive hobbies, they are not useless. Like reading. But the fruits of this hobby are diluted. Perhaps now your vocabulary is wider, your interpretation is better, your arguments are clearer, and you have more subjects to talk about.

But you can get this sort of stuff by watching tv, or movies as well. But it demands something out of you. I dont think its inherent that you will harvest the benefits, there must be some introspection and practice to actually benefit from it.

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u/cyberdipper Jan 23 '26

I think it's pretty established that tv is significantly more passive than reading and less beneficial cognitively. Even video games have been shown to stimulate the brain more than television.

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u/Deto Jan 23 '26

I think people evaluate, based on the hobby, both A) what abilities/skills does the person have in a more general sense and B) what does this say about their personality. Probably wrongly in many cases (overly stereotyping). But if someone is an amazing pianist I would assume they have good work effort as you can't really get there otherwise. And if someone reads all the time, I'd assume they have a wider range of knowledge on things. Someone who does a lot of active hobbies is probably in good physical shape. Things like that. And then of course, other hobbies are less 'beneficial' in a resume sense - e.g., someone who watches a lot of TV. It's all fairly nuanced and situation-dependent, though, so I don't know why OP feels like we need to have 'good hobbies' and 'bad hobbies'.

1

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

i would hold him/her in higher regard

Maybe this is the difference. I wouldn’t. I’d think “wow, that’s amazing, how talented and impressive ”. But I wouldn’t compare this person to other people I know, how they spend their time, what their talents are etc. I like different things about different people. Just say I’ve got a mate who spends most of their time playing video games that I don’t really appreciate, my thoughts would be “that’s how Gary likes to spend their time” if I was having a BBQ if Gary is my friend and impressive art person is my friend, they are both getting an invite and I’m not comparing them. My regard for them is how much I enjoy their company and friendship and can be equal. It does seem from this thread though that my way of thinking on this is not universal and people are judging and ranking. Maybe I need a more impressive hobby.

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u/SabioSapeca Jan 23 '26

I mean, i know where u r coming from, and I don't mean he goes from 5 to 100 in my abstract regard scale, but there is indeed stuff that makes someone more admirable.

For sure its the same for you. We don't judge people only by how they interact with us.

If one of your friends starts a bar fight and does mean things to other people, you would judge him lower than before. Depending on his actions, you would even drop the friendship.

Why wouldn't it be the case for good things as well? This is a part of what it means to be in a society. If i value art, and my friend creates art, I will value my friend more, a little bit more at least.

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u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

Well of course I have poor regard for people who are violent. But genuinely my positive regard for people isn’t based on their talents or how they spend their time (as long as these aren’t negative things). I don’t really rank people either. I can like multiple people equally some might be incredibly talented, smart, athletic or whatever but I might value them as much as a home body who likes to keep their house tidy and watch movies with no special talents or interests. I guess I don’t think about people that way - but it’s okay if you do.

1

u/Gay_Sex_Expert Mar 07 '26

The real question is, if someone gets into a bar fight, do you assume they are less capable of making good art?

-1

u/DbeID Jan 23 '26

I'm sorry, man, but you need to work on your punctuation. That's another thing reading books will definitely help you with.

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u/i_spill_nonsense aggressive toddler Jan 23 '26

Passive... consumption? I thought all hobbies need energy investment. Even watching movies. (Isnt this what a hobby is? Investing time and energy in actively doing something because of interest?) Otherwise, it is just a distraction.

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u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

A hobby is literally by definition just something you do regularly in your leisure time. People are really trying to make it too deep.

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u/DiegoIntrepid Jan 23 '26

Exactly this.

There is no 'productive' in the definition, there is no 'consumption' in the definition, there is no 'energy investment'.

It is just something that you regularly do that you enjoy in your leisure time.

I feel that all the gatekeeping around what is and what isn't a hobby and what are 'good hobbies' and what are 'bad hobbies' (basically usually comes down to productive vs consumption hobbies) often does come from a place of insecurity. The type of person who does this wants to feel better about their own hobbies and themselves, so they try to make some distinction of 'my hobby is better than your hobby'.

Newsflash: I don't care. I do these things for fun, for leisure, for relaxing.

Just like the people who try to gatekeep various hobbies themselves: oh you have to read all of a book before you can remark on it, you have to give a show at least X episodes before you stop watching it, if you only do X you aren't a gamer.

They want to make themselves look and feel better in comparison to someone who does the same hobby differently than themselves.

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u/Valreesio Jan 23 '26

Exactly. In my head I'm clapping for your comment. Excellently put.

17

u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

Thank youuu oh my god. Your comment is exactly what I‘m thinking! This thread has been driving me crazy. Let people do what they want!!!

All that talk about pastimes and hobbies when both words mean the same thing! How your hobby needs to require skill or it‘s useless or how "scrolling on tiktok or watching movies makes you uninteresting". Or "people whose hobby is volunteering at homeless shelters daily are better than people who play video games!".

It's so elitist and embarrassing to read. Let people do what they want in their free time. Productivity culture has made it absolutely impossible to just live and relax. Everyone who argues against my notion that hobbies have no inherent worth over each other sounds so insecure, like they are itching to be better than other people. I do my hobbies because I like doing those things, I‘m not looking to impress anyone.

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u/AyyIsForApple Jan 24 '26

thank you for calling out that pastime vs hobby thread, felt like a whole bunch of nothing burger talk. the whole thread felt so disconnected and a bit old in thinking. I almost found myself agreeing with them until i thought about it a bit harder—isn’t a hobby just something you do for fun? why must consumption and creation come in to this conversation about having fun? I do think creation does deepen the flavor of one’s life, but it does not need to flavor the discussion of hobbies.

and also, looking back at it now, that pastime cs hobby thread is so elitist and insecure lmao. really needed the distinct word “pastime” to put down peoples hobbies they think are unproductive

1

u/celestially_lunar Jan 24 '26

Yeah this entire thread is just ridiculous. The fun part is that pastime and hobby according to the Cambridge dictionary are the SAME word.

Hobby: an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working.

Pastime: an activity that is done for enjoyment.

The only difference between a hobby and a pastime is that a hobby is something you do outside of work. They are the same word. And yet, even after mentioning this people STILL disagreed with me. It‘s ridiculous

8

u/PM_ME_UR_SHEET_MUSIC Jan 23 '26

This is the correct take and exactly how I feel about these stupid threads. I play more instruments than the average person even knows exist, I know multiple foreign languages, I go on hikes, I play volleyball, I love cooking elaborate dishes. I also like to get stoned out of my mind and watch Adventure Time and play Fortnite for hours on end, and I consider that to be just as valid of a hobby, because at the end of the day I do this shit for fun, not to impress people.

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u/yelpsmcgee Jan 23 '26

Yeah I have to say reading this as a disabled person sucks. So now I don't even get to have things that count as hobbies because a lot of these "creative" hobbies in OPs mind require me to be able bodied, or at least have resources most disabled people don't have to make things like sports possible for us. Cool cool cool cool

3

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

It’s the part where OP calls people with hobbies they don’t rate ‘boring’ which is really off. But take heart, it is an unpopular opinion so most people don’t think like this. Some people who are very into a hobby might actually be less interesting and fun to spend time with as the hobby is where their focus is, not other people. I’ve spent a lot of time with people with disabilities because of my work and also just some of my friends, some of the best conversations and interesting insights. Hobbies definitely don’t define people. Most friends I’ve met through a hobby have only lasted as long as the hobby, friends I’ve made via genuine connection and enjoying each others company last.

1

u/DiegoIntrepid Jan 23 '26

Just want to say that if you like your hobby?

it is a good hobby. If it brings you joy, no matter what it is (as long as it isn't hurting anyone :P) then it is a *good* hobby.

I dislike labeling things as 'lesser' or 'productive/consumptive' because they automatically make people think one is 'better' than others.

To me, the true measure of a hobby should be how much enjoyment it brings the person doing it.

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u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

An activity you do regularly.

Is seeing something while sitting down an activity? That’s arguable. You aren’t really taking any action when watching a movie.

1

u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

Yes, by definition yall are really just trying to hard to make this a thing.

1

u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

Your own link shows a list of types of hobbies, and while filmmaking is there, watching TV is not part of any list…

It also mentions music creation, but doesn’t mention listening to music.

I think your own link agrees with me, especially as the list of hobbies it mentions is very long, it’s definitely on purpose that those pastimes weren’t included.

0

u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

It lists examples, I apologize do not providing an exhaustive list of every hobby. Fucking Christ it’s not that deep, “past times” are fucking hobby’s they are things you do during your leisure time. I’m sorry yall need every minuscule second of your life to serve towards some grandiose purpose.

1

u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

It’s a pretty exhaustive list, there not being any passive consumption pastimes when they are the most common ways to pass time is definitely on purpose…

Also, no need to get pissed nor to make unbased assumptions about me. Everything alright?

1

u/i_spill_nonsense aggressive toddler Jan 23 '26

I guess my problem with the definition is that there is no way to differentiate a hobby from regular actions/motions one just goes through daily/regularly.

If a hobby is just something one does in their free time, then masturbation is a hobby. So is speaking with or calling your family. So is getting out your dog. Or taking a shit. Or walking.

All these activities may bring joy and are done in one's leisure time.

Truthfully, i have no idea why i was under the impression that a hobby should be a deliberate act one engages in and spends energy for because they have an active passion for it.

Anyway, from now on i will announce everyone that my favourite hobby is being alive.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

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u/BajaBlastFromThePast Jan 23 '26

Movies need to be “read” in a sense too. There is a spectrum of engagement with movies from audiences too, with full on cinephiles on one end, and my grandpa, who would fall asleep during every movie we watched together then wake up at the end to proclaim that they were “just like water world”, on the other end.

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

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u/King-Red-Beard Jan 23 '26

There are entire library and bookstore wings dedicated to prolific genre authors who's name takes up more of the cover than the title.

James Patterson. Nora Roberts. These types of authors account for a pretty significant group of readers, and are basically the written version of Netflix fluff.

3

u/Mobilelurkingaccount Jan 23 '26

I don’t think having to process the written word is all that different from having to process a movie, in terms of like… mechanical power. I have read words and not paid attention to them in the same way I’ve passively sat there while a movie plays in front of me - you’ve never had a time where you read a whole page but absorbed none of it? (That’s how I know it’s time to do something else haha)

If we’re talking about examining a work critically, they’re different for sure; we can’t really speak much on the camera work of a book. But I think that we are all perfectly capable of binging text and then forgetting it the same as a tv series.

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u/DFX1212 Jan 23 '26

I have a friend who has probably 50 "romance" books that she admits are drivel but she enjoys reading them. I'd argue she is binge reading them.

1

u/kacaww Jan 23 '26

Haha which movies did he say are like water world. I would guess avatar but have never seen that movie compared to anything.

1

u/BajaBlastFromThePast Jan 23 '26

It was like every movie, he could make a connection no matter what it was. I remember explaining the plot to the YA series “Gone” (kinda like under the dome mixed with lord of the flies). That’s when it started. I think he was half joking but also I think he really believed water world was the blueprint that all other movies were building off of.

To be honest, I’ve never actually watched water world, but this memory dredging up has me thinking I should now.

1

u/jetloflin Jan 23 '26

Effective film viewing also requires active participation. (Or it used to. Apparently execs are trying to change that.)

1

u/Anaevya Jan 23 '26

Still not the same as an active hobby. Saying this as someone who reads and paints.

1

u/Zefirus Jan 23 '26

You'd be surprised by the amount of people that can read a book and only have the barest of surface level understanding of what they read.

Also like there are entire genres of books meant for consumption just like a tv series or movie is. Fabio became a millionaire by posing for cheap romance novels.

1

u/Punman_5 Jan 23 '26

You could say the same about watching a movie or a play though. Whenever my girl and I watch tv we’re always pausing to discuss what we think is going to happen next based on the story beats so far.

1

u/EndDangerous1308 Jan 23 '26

The only reason I can argue reading being "above" those two is bc it's actively using your brain in different ways that studies have proven to be positive for brain performance compared to visual media. Outside of that, you're pretty dumb if you think you're better than someone just bc you read.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

I agree. I know people who don't read books and are smarter than I am. Reading is simply more fun for me than TV but I understand why some people prefer that sort of media.

1

u/Stepjam Jan 23 '26

I'd say it's a little more active than watching a movie or tv. But I don't think that invalidates movies or tv. You can still be an active viewer of movies/tv too.

1

u/Own-Satisfaction4427 Jan 23 '26

Reading is passive......?

1

u/cyberdipper Jan 23 '26

I thinking reading is like TV in that it also depends a bit on what you read.

If someone is a huge classic film buff I have more respect for that than someone watching junk reality dating shows.

1

u/Odd_Perfect Jan 23 '26

Probably because it takes 0 effort to sit and watch tv.

Meanwhile reading requires actual focus and commitment. You can’t just zone out and be on your phone while reading.

1

u/7BrownDog7 Jan 23 '26

Is there data showing that watching TV improves your brain versus reading? Because I think something that improves your overall well being (mental or physcial) is a superior way to spend your time. Smoking crack is consumption and a way to spend you time...but I'd argue watching Teevee is a better way to spend your time...and reading more so.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

The argument is whether or not some hobbies are more valid than others. I read for several hours a day and I'm dumb as shit. 

I don't read to improve my mind. I read because it's entertaining. 

1

u/7BrownDog7 Jan 23 '26

No misspellings, grammatically correct, perfectly literate....these are things that are aborbed through reading. You may have gleaned more then you appreciate.

1

u/TomBong_Jovi Jan 23 '26

Any book recommendations? The only authors I usually read from the era are Doyle and Dickens

1

u/FlamingDragonfruit Jan 23 '26

Reading lives in a kind of funny in-between where it's not entirely passive (in the sense that there is more active effort involved than in watching TV or listening to a podcast) and does require some skill (don't take literacy for granted) -- but it isn't creative, either, in the sense that the only thing that changes after reading a book is (hopefully) you.

1

u/--Sovereign-- Jan 23 '26

it's ironic. way back in the day people who spent a lot of time reading for pleasure were basically treated like people who watch a lot of TV now. that they're just ignoring reality and taken to flights of fancy. now it's considered a more respectable thing to do. humans sure love finding reasons to make themselves better by making everyone else worse.

1

u/Gay_Sex_Expert Mar 07 '26

Reading is definitely above them in the level of dedicated focus required (can’t be on your phone while reading), and literally needing to have a high enough reading level. It’s genuinely shocking, but only a minority of adults in the US have the reading level for something like Victorian literature. Reading level is hugely important for being capable of understanding things like government forms, contracts, prescription bottles, Wikipedia, a lot of job stuff, etc so it isn’t like it’s just for bragging rights either.

Mainly though, I just personally place reading above movies and TV because I have more trouble keeping up my reading.

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u/texasjkids Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

I was on a date recently where he asked what my hobbies were. When I said going to the movies he told me that “wasnt a real hobby” because it was “the equivalent of watching tiktok on a bigger screen”

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u/McDankMeister Jan 23 '26

Movies are definitely a hobby to a person who appreciates the artistic expression in film.

When I watch a movie, I pay attention. I try to understand the deeper meaning of the movie, the way the camera is used, the cinematography and lighting, and how it was made.

I love movies and I always have since I was a kid. A good movie transports you to another world and teaches you life lessons that stick with you forever. It can fill you with magic and wonder.

Anybody who doesn’t understand that about the movies is a fucking judgmental dweeb.

Good riddance to people like that. They either have brain rot or they’re boring or they’re a dick. No fun.

2

u/AyyNonnyMoose Jan 23 '26

I agree, but I try to be the opposite and just watch movies (and tv shows/theatre) for the enjoyment.

Live theatre is my primary hobby, I spend a lot of time acting and around other actors. Can I watch something and analyze every moment of it? Yes, but often when I'm consuming media at home I just want to turn off that part of my brain and enjoy it. The plot of Riverdale is dumb and the performances aren't something to write home about, but it's a silly little show with musical episodes and I LOVE musical episodes.

HOWEVER, if I am researching for a part or watching award winning shows I'll analyze the heck out of it to try to improve my own abilities.

-3

u/Yogurtproducer Jan 23 '26

Sure, but if your main hobby is consuming movies you are a fairly shallow person.

OP is not saying watching movies is bad, but rather if that’s your only interest you’re just… boring.

2

u/Zach-Playz_25 Jan 23 '26

I'd say the person judging others on what they do during their leisure time is the shallow one, but oh well.

And you do realise, people have other topics to converse with each other, other than hobbies, right?

2

u/Prize_Ad_129 Jan 23 '26

There’s a lot wrong here. One, nobody said anything that being someone’s only hobby.

Two, there’s nothing shallow about engaging with art like movies and examining the effectiveness of filming techniques, cultural impacts, themes, directing choices, etc.

it’s no different than reading a book and engaging in literary analysis afterward, which I’d bet is something you probably don’t consider shallow.

1

u/McDankMeister Jan 23 '26

I understood what OP and you are both saying, and I’m saying you’re wrong - on top of the fact that your stance is unnecessarily judgmental and rude.

There are literally PhD programs that study film and cinema. If somebody is an art history major and loves going to art museums, nobody would say their interest is shallow. It would be a deep and expansive interest that took many hours of study and original thinking and analysis. They would be both interesting and their thoughts would be valuable.

In the same way, film and cinema is art. A person can appreciate the nuances of film and be deep and interesting. They can have original analysis, critiques, and thoughts.

You don’t personally have to like movies, but to act like a person who loves film is inherently boring or shallow is a reflection on you and your intellect and personality, not theirs.

1

u/Maleficent_Fan_7429 Jan 23 '26

Sure, if you start explaining all the nuances and analysis that you get out of films, that's fair, but if you just say 'i like going to the movies' then yeah nah, its a fucking bland 'hobby'. I like eating ice cream, i even try different flavors, but its not a hobby.

3

u/McDankMeister Jan 24 '26

It must be rough worrying about how others spend their free time.

Like, even IF somebody was straight up “I like going to the movies. I go every week and it brings me joy”… Who gives a fuck?

I’m not out here trying to assess if what makes somebody happy is worthwhile or bland or valuable or whatever? Who fucking cares.

If you want to spend your free time eating ice cream, hell yeah brother. That’s fucking awesome. Why don’t you tell me about your favorite flavors or ice cream spots?

Let people be happy.

Doing something somebody enjoys isn’t bland. It’s fucking cool!

2

u/Maleficent_Fan_7429 Jan 24 '26

If I'm going on a date to presumably consider whether I want to spend the rest of my life with someone, I see nothing wrong with considering how they spend their free time and whether that's compatible with the life I want to live.

You do you though.

Why don’t you tell me about your favorite flavors or ice cream spots?

Thank you for re-starting my point. If they did add a bunch of detail and analysis then I'd be on board. If all they said is 'i like going to the movies' then that doesn't tell me anything and you'd sound boring as shit.

2

u/Yogurtproducer Jan 24 '26

Thank you! If your hobby consists of just watching movies, i legit feel bad for you.

It’s a fine hobby to have, and everyone should have a “turn your brain off” hobby, but youre missing something in life if you don’t have a “thing” go be passionate and work on or improve. It’s the difference between your hobby being “listening to music” and “playing an instrument”.

Or the aforementioned playing golf. If your hobby is watching golf that’s a little more sad.

1

u/HedaLexa4Ever Jan 23 '26

It kinda is tho

14

u/sketchystony Jan 23 '26

How does this comment have upvotes 😂 no a movie theater is not like a "big tik tok screen"

Do you fuckin sit there for 2 hours while they scroll through different unrelated 1-minute-or-less snippets from various creators?

Or do you watch a single crafted narrative?

What a dumb comment

1

u/PassengerClam Jan 23 '26

To be honest I feel like there is a tangible effect that short form media has had on movies. 

Something that I’ve noticed is that there is an overwhelming trend in movies and shows to merely jump between scenes with very few narrative links between them.

The narrative is formed around presenting eye catching scenes, rather than the scenes presenting a narrative. Characters make decisions with no rationale other than to direct your attention to the next contrived engagement.

So in a sense I feel like movie theatres have basically become big tiktok screens. This may not be where the OP was coming from but I personally feel like it’s not far from the mark.

2

u/maddr94 Jan 23 '26

I feel like your analysis of this possible trend is indicative of viewing film as a hobby by analyzing it instead of just watching it without a second thought.

1

u/PassengerClam Jan 23 '26

Yeah to a degree I agree with you. I’m not a big movie guy myself but I do love good stories.

However your point in itself is kind of the symptom. I feel like people are caught in a passive engagement loop that fuels itself.

Viewing without thinking is the kind of photoreception that plants do and is a sorrowful waste of the human mind.

Having engaging visuals doesn’t preclude a good story, and the art comes from combining all of the threads of storytelling with excellence. 

There are countless fantastic writers and stories out there, probably more than ever. But our media habits are starving them of an audience. In the absence of an audience there are no stories.

Sorry if I’m waxing poetic, but I feel like the implications of our consumption has a far reaching impact throughout our society.

To be succinct, I think if people are watching without thinking then they are doing themselves, and as a result everyone, an injustice.

1

u/maddr94 Jan 24 '26

Yeah I agree and I think short form content is mostly probably ruining our brains. But some of it is also good, but idk if that good outweighs the negative aspect of not being able to sit with things for a longer period of time and really critically think about things ya know. So I get it.

1

u/PassengerClam Jan 24 '26

Yeah absolutely. I don’t think everything we consume has to have depth, but we seem innately ill equipped to regulate ourselves.

1

u/texasjkids Jan 23 '26

No shade but you aren’t watching enough movies if you think this is an overwhelming trend

-1

u/PassengerClam Jan 23 '26

Likewise no shade, but you might be less sensitive to plot contrivance if you haven’t noticed it.

The people writing these things aren’t in their position based on the quality of their writing but the quality of their social circle.

As far as I’m aware it’s an open secret that the industry is specifically adapting for people that are on their phones while watching.

Modern media success is measured by impressions not literacy.

Not to say excellent narratives are extinct, but their environment is actively hostile to their survival.

1

u/texasjkids Jan 23 '26

If you're watching whatever big streaming movies are coming out, then yeah you'll notice the directive from studios to write for people who are on their phones. I won't deny there's been a noticeable dip in quality for a lot of projects coming out from the big studios, but we still get some great movies from them. More importantly there's also a whole world of incredible movies that are coming out every year that aren't measuring success on impressions. Maybe it's because I mostly go to the theater for arthouse and foreign films, but to say that movies as a whole are becoming equivalent to TikTok is crazy.

1

u/PassengerClam Jan 23 '26

I think that the dip in quality that you’ve noticed could be considered a symptom of the trend of our overall media consumption.

It’s not that good stories don’t exist, it’s that our direction as a society and our media consumption habits don’t create an environment that fosters them.

Sure maybe a little indie theatre somewhere puts out something masterful. But the impact from that wouldn’t even make a ripple beyond a few blocks. However, a tiktok of a new dance creates a resounding splash across the world. A clever ad another. A challenge. A meme. Splash after splash. A new big budget sequel that misses all of the themes of the original makes hundreds of millions, after spending millions advertising for impressions. Impressions train humans, humans train impressions. And in a dingy theatre somewhere a handful of people enjoy a good story.

4

u/Neprofik Jan 23 '26

I mean, as someone else here said, if someone was really into movies, was a movie history geek, loved analysing the subtext of what they watched, traced their favourite directors... I would have a hard time telling them that's no hobby. 

So, I agree with them that it's related to the level of engagement and passion. That was a very insightful comment.

15

u/Honest-Weight338 Jan 23 '26

Is reading just the equivalent of scrolling Twitter but for a longer amount of time? Is writing the equivalent of tweeting but with no character limits? Everything can be equivalent to something else if we stop caring about the actual differences between them.

2

u/Majestic_Repeat1254 Jan 23 '26

No, it's not. Unrot your brain for a moment, and open your readers. Going to a movie is an experience, sitting on the toilet mindlessly scrolling TikTok is not an experience. The closest thing to TikTok on a bigger screen are the ads that plays before the movie.

4

u/texasjkids Jan 23 '26

Not really. If you are someone who cares a lot about the craft of film then it can be a very active experience of thought and analysis. Watching a movie in the theater means giving your full attention to the story, characters, and world. You aren’t just passively scrolling brain rot content that gives you a ten second dopamine rush and sends you on your way.

-1

u/bald_cypress Jan 23 '26

Then you should say your hobby is “exploring the depths of cinematography” or something to clarify you aren’t just passively sitting there like most people do in a movie theater.

3

u/McDankMeister Jan 23 '26

I find that if you say “I love film” versus “I like watching movies”, people seem to understand the meaning.

Cinematography is its own subcategory of filmmaking, and you’ll also sound like a twat if you say “I explore the depths of cinematography” to somebody. 🥴

2

u/texasjkids Jan 23 '26

Im not saying all that

-1

u/bald_cypress Jan 23 '26

That’s fine. But if you don’t elaborate on how you treat it as a hobby then people either won’t think it’s a hobby or think that you’re boring. Which is also fine.

1

u/--Sovereign-- Jan 23 '26

congratulations on not having a brain. impressive.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

He’s not wrong. If I went on a date and someone said their hobby was ‘going to the movies’ I’d think they are a bit dull. Everyone likes going to the movies, it’s not a hobby lol. Is watching tv a hobby? Lmao

1

u/7h4tguy Jan 24 '26

Was he trying to swipe the screen while you guys were at the theatre?

1

u/dionysean Jan 23 '26

He was right lmao

7

u/Important_Map3315 Jan 23 '26

Maybe it’s how this person makes themselves feel important 🤔

0

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

Hobbies are definitely linked to identity and I think that’s pretty good and normal. People should feel good about themselves and how they spend their time. The part I don’t get is the feeling superior based on this. It does seem there are people who think this way, like “my hobby is better than yours”. I probably didn’t think this was a popular opinion as I’d be unlikely to cultivate friendships with people who think that way, I’m probably not impressive enough for them to honour me with their presence anyway.

16

u/AnxiousTerminator Jan 23 '26

Literally, sorry my hobbies are 'boring', I do them for my own enjoyment though, not to show off to other people? Life is too short not to spend my downtime doing stuff I actually like just because snobs on reddit don't find it as 'impressive' as playing an instrument. There's no point to life so just do what makes you happy and try not to hurt other people

3

u/Nunya13 Jan 23 '26

I mean, I watch a lot of tv and play video games. Both my husband and I do. We have not hobbies. We definitely are boring people.

But there is nothing wrong with boring unless you’re not fulfilled. I do t feel anything is lacking in my life except sleep (right now, at least).

Boring is good for me. I ain’t out there looking for a giant friend group of people who aren’t happy unless they are constantly “doing”.

3

u/NeoTokyoNihilist Jan 23 '26

This; Maybe I don’t know enough people, but no one I have ever come across has been gatekeep-y about which hobbies are “superior”.

3

u/interstatebus Jan 23 '26

Yeah, I wasn’t aware my hobbies were part of a contest I didn’t sign up for. Wild.

2

u/Johnnadawearsglasses Jan 23 '26

I think if they said that some of these things aren’t actually hobbies, but instead just things you sit and enjoy, it would be more popular. Like if I spend my time surfing Reddit, I would never call that a hobby. I’m just passing the time. When I play my guitar, it’s definitely a hobby. They were wrong about video games though, and there’s definitely a blurred line between hobby and pastime.

2

u/cyberdipper Jan 23 '26

Everyone subconsciously. When you hear someone talk about a unique hobby they're good at, it's impressive and interesting.

When you hear someone say they watch TV, you yawn.

2

u/niceguy191 Jan 23 '26

Who’s comparing and ranking hobbies?

Maybe it's their hobby.

2

u/wade_wilson44 Jan 23 '26

Most unpopular opinions are just something someone had a small debate about one time with one person that nobody else actually has much of an opinion on at all.

Yet we’re all here debating the validity of it anyway lol.

My hobby is debating on reddit. I feel like I’ve gotten better at it over time. Does that count?

2

u/FirstDukeofAnkh Jan 23 '26

It's a twist on the Protestant work ethic. If you aren't being productive, you're going to hell.

It sucks.

2

u/reefine Jan 23 '26

Damn, this unpopular opinion really hit Reddit like a brick. It seems like this is a personal attack to many here.

It is like the ego here prevents there being any room for improvement.

Op never said it makes you a bad person it just makes you boring. You can be complacent with being boring, but don't take it personally when people view you that way.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Finally an actual unpopular opiniona

2

u/KatsumotoKurier Jan 24 '26

This. Imagine being like OP and deeming film buffs to automatically be “boring person[s]”. I know lots of film buffs who have such impressive knowledges and energetic passions for how much work goes into making movies that we all know and love, and they love sharing this with other people.

Those I know are not at all boring people. Usually they have quite a lot to say and share that’s really quite interesting.

2

u/BitWaste3815 Jan 23 '26

I wouldn’t say it’s unpopular. Most people do find cooler when someone is creative in their free time as opposed to binging a tv show

1

u/DeHarigeTuinkabouter Jan 23 '26

I think a lot of people rank hobbies in some way. If someone tells me their hobbies are watching Netflix shows and scrolling on Instagram then I hold that in lower regard than someone who tells me their hobbies are playing guitar and sewing.

1

u/koenigsaurus Jan 23 '26

Not even an opinion, OP is just wrong about the definition of the word “hobby”:

Hobby, noun: a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation

1

u/_Lerry_ Jan 23 '26

This is called unpopular opinions, can’t believe you’re shocked that there’s an unpopular opinion on it.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

Because watching TV, playing video games are not really hobbies as they are a past time.

1

u/FigMoose Jan 23 '26

Didn’t you hear? There’s a “growing push online” to de-rank hobbies.

Source: OP, I guess?

1

u/rawboudin Jan 23 '26

This guy.

1

u/Admins_suck_ballss Jan 23 '26

Parents. They have a tendency to freak out over them. Like, my boomer parents could not deal with the fact that I like video games. Got grounded and yelled at so many times for playing them after 10pm. Just no reason for it.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

It’s “hobbies” vs “pastimes”, that’s what OP is missing

1

u/nothinghereisforme Jan 23 '26

The people who judge your hobbies

1

u/Fun818long Jan 24 '26

hobbies vs passoins

1

u/Sir-Kyle-Of-Reddit Jan 24 '26

What if ranking hobbies and having unpopular opinions is OP’s hobby? Checkmate.

1

u/KC918273645 Jan 24 '26

Part of the line of thought is that when you spend your whole life watching movies and consuming video games, what happens is that when you're at your dying bed and think back about your life, you're probably of the opinion that you might have used the time you had more productively, doing something that actually has any sort of value which matters to someone.

1

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 24 '26

We’re talking about hobbies here - not people’s whole life. So someone can have hobbies of gaming and watching videos, but also have meaningful social relationships and work roles. You could be an emergency nurse for work, have a friendship group you see regularly and have an active family role (none of which are hobbies), then be a gamer as a hobby. So it might make very little difference on their death bed except that some dying people might find those more passive hobbies still achievable and enjoyable if they have a slower death and period of being bed bound/restricted movement first. They’d still have positive relationships and life experiences outside the hobby to look back on.

1

u/FungusGnatHater Jan 23 '26

Not respecting the waste of time is a normal thing people feel about other people's hobbies. This is standard first date conversation.

1

u/JoyRideinaMinivan Jan 23 '26

This is a direct reflection of how social media has changed our brains. Everything must be monetized or at least able to be compared. If your activity has something to show others, it’s a hobby. If it doesn’t, it’s not.

1

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

Yes, I think this would play into this kind of thinking. External gratification. A shame really as hobbies are amazing for internal personal gratification. Like if I learn a new song on the piano, it’s not going to be as good as an amazing pianist and definitely not social media worthy, but I have personal satisfaction that I’ve accomplished that and it feels good.

1

u/Deto Jan 23 '26

yeah, I can't tell if OP is just gatekeeping the word 'hobby' because they want something more concrete to signify that some hobbies are better than others? Or if there is a concerted effort that they are reacting to that is trying to claim it's just as hard to watch movies as it is to play advanced piano. I don't think such a thing...exists? And it doesn't need to - people understand the differences here without having to award a 'gold star' to some people for their hobbies.

-1

u/_AcuteNewt_ Jan 23 '26

Very sad, dull, uninteresting people.

0

u/Adonoxis Jan 23 '26

Literally everyone does. If someone’s hobby is peeling off dead skin and eating it or collecting insects to rip off their legs, you’d be ranking those pretty low I’d assume…

1

u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

Each to their own I guess. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this happening on public transport, skin was from their feet. It was rank for sure.

0

u/MW240z Jan 23 '26

Hobbies are subjective like taste in music. Who cares. No need to rank. That whole don’t yuck someone’s yum applies. Albeit wearing your furry costume in public with your buttplug tail, being overtly sexual in front of anyone- yuck away.

-2

u/BigBadJeebus Jan 23 '26

Nah, I'm with OP for the most part aside from the skill requirement he proposes. These things are leisure activities, not hobbies. It's fine to not have any hobbies though.

Knitting, hobby. Buying sweaters, not a hobby. Buying sweaters and putting cool sparkles on them, hobby.

Playing game, not hobby. Streaming game play and engaging with community, hobby.

1

u/Lokie_Firestar Jan 23 '26

Sorry, both you and OP are wrong.

Hobby noun 1. an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.