5 ms·

It's disturbing that some people need to be told to have hobbies and have fun. It also seems like a lot of CS oriented people don't realize how much fun can be

It's disturbing that some people need to be told to have hobbies and have fun. It also seems like a lot of CS oriented people don't realize how much fun can be had away from electronics. EE stuff, CS stuff, video games, pet projects, etc. are all great hobbies, but why don't more "nerds" spend their free time doing something less related to their day to day work? Mountain biking, exercising, fishing, hunting, woodworking, metal working, art (sooo many different kinds of art), music, writing, philosophy, languages, reading, traveling (you don't have to trek through the Amazon, there are likely many beautiful and interesting places in your own country). The list f things you can do in your spare time is practically endless. Which is the reason why I can never understand how people can get bored.

digitalsushi 13y ago
How could an anorexic starve at a buffet?
sixdimensional 13y ago
Devil's advocate - I'd have a lot more fun, interest and open "head space" for doing those things if I didn't worry about having to make a living and pay the bills. Alas, I don't have a > $2,000/month successful MVP under my belt.
- scarmig 13y ago
  Interestingly, many people whose jobs are less secure, less financially lucrative, and less... suited for the future manage to have hobbies and do things for fun =) I think it's a psychological quirk of the techier or nerdier crowd. Many of us have a great desire for a sense of not only autonomy but complete control over our own lives; indeed, feeling autonomous seems like it requires having complete control over our lives. In as market-based a culture as our own, that amounts to us being sold a story about how having an amount of money X (where X's amount is perpetually significantly larger than present but reachable) will give us that control, and we should perpetually aggregate as much money as possible until we reach X and then can live off capital gains. We like rules, and we like systems of rules that we can optimize against. Most people do, in one way or another. But we have it more than most, I believe, and it is perfectly capable for us to make the numbers work out to retire between 30 and 40 by working a stable desk job. Hence the constant draw and temptation to always push those non-pecuniary, non-market labors sometime into the future, where you'll theoretically have time in spades.
  - bgilroy26 13y ago
    This was a great reality check for me thank you! I think in the manner you describe all the time. It's a fine message: don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
- joonix 13y ago
  Yeah. I've completely abandoned what few hobbies I've had due to my distressing employment situation. Not only are many hobbies expensive, I feel guilty having fun when I'm in this situation. It's a rather self-destructive and unreasonable line of thinking but it happens.
neutronicus 13y ago
I cycle and rock-climb and lift weights and play pick-up sports. I played piano when I was a kid. I don't play video games and never watch TV by myself. To be honest all that stuff is kind of a chore to me. I just do it so women won't think I'm boring.
- btilly 13y ago
  I have a new theory for you. Rather than do a bunch of stereotypical male activities that do not interest you, take up something like ballroom dance. You'll still get exercise, and you'll find that engaging in activities that lots of women want to engage in makes you more interesting to women than doing stuff they aren't engaging in.
  - neutronicus 13y ago
    Tried it. It was alright. Still felt like a chore, but I suppose you're right that it was probably a smarter choice of chore.
mehblahmeh 13y ago
I know this wasn't really your intention, I find it more disturbing that society tells anyone who finds only a "nerd" hobby to be interesting that there is something wrong with them since they aren't interested in fishing or sports. I actually find everything you listed on your second list to be completely banal. I do almost all of them regularly because it is better than doing nothing, but I can completely understand how someone wouldn't be interested in any of those things.

digitalsushi 13y ago

How could an anorexic starve at a buffet?

sixdimensional 13y ago

Devil's advocate - I'd have a lot more fun, interest and open "head space" for doing those things if I didn't worry about having to make a living and pay the bills. Alas, I don't have a > $2,000/month successful MVP under my belt.

scarmig 13y ago
Interestingly, many people whose jobs are less secure, less financially lucrative, and less... suited for the future manage to have hobbies and do things for fun =) I think it's a psychological quirk of the techier or nerdier crowd. Many of us have a great desire for a sense of not only autonomy but complete control over our own lives; indeed, feeling autonomous seems like it requires having complete control over our lives. In as market-based a culture as our own, that amounts to us being sold a story about how having an amount of money X (where X's amount is perpetually significantly larger than present but reachable) will give us that control, and we should perpetually aggregate as much money as possible until we reach X and then can live off capital gains. We like rules, and we like systems of rules that we can optimize against. Most people do, in one way or another. But we have it more than most, I believe, and it is perfectly capable for us to make the numbers work out to retire between 30 and 40 by working a stable desk job. Hence the constant draw and temptation to always push those non-pecuniary, non-market labors sometime into the future, where you'll theoretically have time in spades.
- bgilroy26 13y ago
  This was a great reality check for me thank you! I think in the manner you describe all the time. It's a fine message: don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
joonix 13y ago
Yeah. I've completely abandoned what few hobbies I've had due to my distressing employment situation. Not only are many hobbies expensive, I feel guilty having fun when I'm in this situation. It's a rather self-destructive and unreasonable line of thinking but it happens.

neutronicus 13y ago

I cycle and rock-climb and lift weights and play pick-up sports. I played piano when I was a kid. I don't play video games and never watch TV by myself. To be honest all that stuff is kind of a chore to me. I just do it so women won't think I'm boring.

btilly 13y ago
I have a new theory for you. Rather than do a bunch of stereotypical male activities that do not interest you, take up something like ballroom dance. You'll still get exercise, and you'll find that engaging in activities that lots of women want to engage in makes you more interesting to women than doing stuff they aren't engaging in.
- neutronicus 13y ago
  Tried it. It was alright. Still felt like a chore, but I suppose you're right that it was probably a smarter choice of chore.

mehblahmeh 13y ago

I know this wasn't really your intention, I find it more disturbing that society tells anyone who finds only a "nerd" hobby to be interesting that there is something wrong with them since they aren't interested in fishing or sports. I actually find everything you listed on your second list to be completely banal. I do almost all of them regularly because it is better than doing nothing, but I can completely understand how someone wouldn't be interested in any of those things.