It seems like everything is a spectrum. I was reading a blog post about hobbies that resonated with me. The premise is that every hobby is actually 4 hobbies: doing the hobby, discussing the hobby, playing with the gear, and discussing the gear. I won’t steal the author’s graphic, but here is my own interpretation.
| Hobby: photography | The Hobby | The Gear |
| Doing | Walking in the woods, taking photos | In the shop, tinkering with lenses |
| Discussing | Sharing photos on social media, talking about the last trip out. | Tuning or optimizing equipment, discussing product pro/cons |
Take photography, for example. You either like the hobby (walking out in the woods or in town to take photos), or you like to tinker (with lenses, lighting, optimizing the camera settings), and getting the shot is just a bonus. In discussions, you either talk about the hobby (your last trip in the woods), or you discuss the gear (which lens is best for which application, how to tune lighting for a subject). Note the original blog poster’s frustration was that one who just likes the gear is going to clash with one who likes doing the hobby.
I have probably subconsciously realized that certain groups or individuals don’t seem to jibe with me, even though we have a similar interest. It’s nice to know that there is a reason
Maybe this is because I don’t have a lot of disposable income, but while I might set myself firmly into one quadrant for a given hobby, I find that will most often just admire it from a distance. Even things that are within my reach (physically or financially) are still sometimes just more fun to watch. One can barely get “serious” about photography without spending thousands on gear just to get started. But seeing what people do with their hobby can be awe-inspiring as well as instructive.
If I wanted to seriously return to clay craft, which I enjoyed when I was younger, I have the tools and even materials (which are also not very expensive). But sometimes it’s fun to just watch someone else transform a lump of Sculpey into a masterpiece. At times seeing other people’s creations is a great motivator to get started on my own projects, but there is something to be said for enjoying the hobby vicariously through social media.
Discussions may also be a spectator sport. For certain pursuits, I might choose discussions that are about tuning the equipment, or I might listen in (dare I say, “lurk”?) in groups that show off creations or ask for best methods for producing output. But very rarely will I join in. I just absorb it like a sponge.
My mom tells me that her dad (who I didn’t know well before he passed) was known to go to a party, get a drink, find a seat somewhere, and then have a smoke and sip his drink and just watch everyone else talking and laughing and dancing. All with a huge smile on his face. Maybe I take after him in that way. You can have fun at the dance without dancing.
If you don’t feel like you’re missing out, then feel free to just sit in the corner and enjoy.