5 ms·

I think the gaming example is qualitatively different from the cycling example. In cycling, you've lost sight of the goal, which can be best served by cycling.

I think the gaming example is qualitatively different from the cycling example. In cycling, you've lost sight of the goal, which can be best served by cycling. Unless your hobby is actually building bikes, which I'd say is a different but valid hobby. In gaming, including sports, this tension is common, and it's satisfied by competing at an appropriate level.

dmos62 5y ago
There's no goal in hobbies. To occupy self with a hobby is to be engaged in something for the sake of it.
- darkerside 5y ago
  That's just one approach to hobbies. Some people lose themselves best in pursuit of a goal.
  - dmos62 5y ago
    That's true. I was thinking that hobby goals aren't real goals, because their real purpose is to entertain you, but then realised that all goals are like that at the end of the day.
bdowling 5y ago
See also: - Fast gaming computers that are only used to run benchmarks. - Fancy photography gear that is only used to take pictures of resolution test charts and cats. - Expensive guns that are never taken to the shooting range. - High-end musical equipment that is only used for "noodling" (goofing off).
- polyterative 5y ago
  I live by all except the guns part :|
- Fomite 5y ago
  Modifications to 3D printers made before you ever print with them.
  - snovv_crash 5y ago
    The majority of the parts I printed on my first 3D printer were upgrades for the printer itself...
    - marcosdumay 5y ago
      I think most of the people that have 3D printers do that. But modifying a 3D printer is cheap and fast (in labor time, printing stuff is slow, but it's not work), while parts for any other use tend to take much more time designing and applying. So that ratio is misleading.
- InitialLastName 5y ago
  Carpentry tools that only build workbenches.
totetsu 5y ago
Shopping for bike parts is the hobby? is this caused by soulless consumer culture where retailers present themselves through advertisement as the source of dreams? At least here in Japan .. Outdoor is a section in the mall, not a place you go.. and you cant just go climb a mountain in your old clothes, you need all the gear, and the gas stove to make the high altitude coffee at the peak, because someone said that tastes better..
- nicoburns 5y ago
  It's not necessarily just buying parts. It's the knowledge associated with building and fixing them. That's no different to any other engineering hobby.
- foo_barrio 5y ago
  Some people build guitars other people play them. They are related disciplines and guitar builders know how to play a guitar but it's not their primary pursuit. Biking is no different no? Some people are interested in how to setup and combine components in an optimal way. Others want to ride.
  - em-bee 5y ago
    indeed, building vs using is an entirely valid hobby. some people like to repair cars for fun, or restore old ones. i knew someone who restored old steam engines. or people who like to restore/build computers from used parts and give them to kids who need one. i built my own bike when i was young, but mainly because it was cheaper to get a quality bike that way and easier than saving up the money for a brand new bike. in the end riding is more interesting, so now that i can afford it, i just buy what i need.
- dagw 5y ago
  Shopping for bike parts is the hobby? I knew a guy like this. He also had 2-3 other bikes that he actually rode, but he spend a lot of time and effort (and money) building his Dream Bike. He was always waiting for some part to be shipped from some tiny manufacturer in Italy or Spain or Japan or Canada, and by the time it arrived he would have read about this other company that had an even smaller/thinner/lighter part, so he would order that as well and wait until he had both parts before meticulously compare them. And once he had managed to finally assemble a complete bike it wouldn't take many rides before either something broke or he decided something wasn't quite perfect so he would take the bike apart again and try to find an even more perfect part.
joe__f 5y ago
What was the goal in the gaming example? You could have a goal which is to compete at the highest level that you can and push your abilities to see what you can accomplish, which you might enjoy doing. If you aim for this there's also plenty of scope for losing the deeper goal of just, having fun and enjoying your life. In this respect I think the gaming and cycling examples can be qualitatively similar.

dmos62 5y ago

There's no goal in hobbies. To occupy self with a hobby is to be engaged in something for the sake of it.

darkerside 5y ago
That's just one approach to hobbies. Some people lose themselves best in pursuit of a goal.
- dmos62 5y ago
  That's true. I was thinking that hobby goals aren't real goals, because their real purpose is to entertain you, but then realised that all goals are like that at the end of the day.

bdowling 5y ago

See also: - Fast gaming computers that are only used to run benchmarks. - Fancy photography gear that is only used to take pictures of resolution test charts and cats. - Expensive guns that are never taken to the shooting range. - High-end musical equipment that is only used for "noodling" (goofing off).

polyterative 5y ago
I live by all except the guns part :|
Fomite 5y ago
Modifications to 3D printers made before you ever print with them.
- snovv_crash 5y ago
  The majority of the parts I printed on my first 3D printer were upgrades for the printer itself...
  - marcosdumay 5y ago
    I think most of the people that have 3D printers do that. But modifying a 3D printer is cheap and fast (in labor time, printing stuff is slow, but it's not work), while parts for any other use tend to take much more time designing and applying. So that ratio is misleading.
InitialLastName 5y ago
Carpentry tools that only build workbenches.

totetsu 5y ago

Shopping for bike parts is the hobby? is this caused by soulless consumer culture where retailers present themselves through advertisement as the source of dreams? At least here in Japan .. Outdoor is a section in the mall, not a place you go.. and you cant just go climb a mountain in your old clothes, you need all the gear, and the gas stove to make the high altitude coffee at the peak, because someone said that tastes better..

nicoburns 5y ago
It's not necessarily just buying parts. It's the knowledge associated with building and fixing them. That's no different to any other engineering hobby.
foo_barrio 5y ago
Some people build guitars other people play them. They are related disciplines and guitar builders know how to play a guitar but it's not their primary pursuit. Biking is no different no? Some people are interested in how to setup and combine components in an optimal way. Others want to ride.
- em-bee 5y ago
  indeed, building vs using is an entirely valid hobby. some people like to repair cars for fun, or restore old ones. i knew someone who restored old steam engines. or people who like to restore/build computers from used parts and give them to kids who need one. i built my own bike when i was young, but mainly because it was cheaper to get a quality bike that way and easier than saving up the money for a brand new bike. in the end riding is more interesting, so now that i can afford it, i just buy what i need.
dagw 5y ago
Shopping for bike parts is the hobby? I knew a guy like this. He also had 2-3 other bikes that he actually rode, but he spend a lot of time and effort (and money) building his Dream Bike. He was always waiting for some part to be shipped from some tiny manufacturer in Italy or Spain or Japan or Canada, and by the time it arrived he would have read about this other company that had an even smaller/thinner/lighter part, so he would order that as well and wait until he had both parts before meticulously compare them. And once he had managed to finally assemble a complete bike it wouldn't take many rides before either something broke or he decided something wasn't quite perfect so he would take the bike apart again and try to find an even more perfect part.

joe__f 5y ago

What was the goal in the gaming example? You could have a goal which is to compete at the highest level that you can and push your abilities to see what you can accomplish, which you might enjoy doing. If you aim for this there's also plenty of scope for losing the deeper goal of just, having fun and enjoying your life. In this respect I think the gaming and cycling examples can be qualitatively similar.