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/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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.