Subject:
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Re: Lego Hobby Blues
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Wed, 7 Dec 2005 17:32:57 GMT
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Viewed:
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1965 times
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Hello Thomas,
Your posting caught my eye today as you're obviously unhappy with the way
you see things. At the bottom of your message you say:
In lugnet.general, Thomas Main wrote:
> -- I am looking for discussion and insight....
I'm hoping to provide some discussion. As to whether or not that also
constitutes "insight" is up to you. :)
> The thrill is gone. There's so much about our hobby that has changed • over the
> last few years and a lot of it has changed for the worse.
Before I respond to the other items you've mentioned I want to note how I
see the 'hobby' of LEGO building/collecting. And the note is that I see
the 'hobby' as different than the 'community'. Let me explain.
I built with LEGO pieces as a kid. I was part of the hobby (without even
knowing it) but was not part of a 'community' even if one had existed at
the time. More and more today the internet provides hobbyists with a way
to join one or more communities related to their hobby. But does that mean
that everyone who enjoys the hobby is, or needs to be, part of a community?
I don't believe so. There are some who happily build at home and that is
the extent of their involvement in the hobby. There are others who spend
many weekends per year attending LEGO-related events, displays, meetings
etc. They are very active within their community. I feel both types of
people are equally important. Different from each other, though very often
there is cross-over, but both are important.
> LUGNET
> This used to be THE place that the online community got together and • talked
> about the hobby. Now, it has a fraction of the news it used to have.
> Yeah, there are other sites now -- but I don't want to have to visit 10
> different sites to get what I used to get in ONE place. Plus, there's • little to
> none of the cross-pollination that having Lego stuff centralized on • LUGNET
> provided. Classic-Castle, Classic-Space? I never go to those sites, • whereas I
> used to see some cool castle and space stuff on LUGNET and enjoyed it, • even
> though those areas aren't my primary interest.
In the way I see things, as described above, I perceive this to be a
community issue, not a hobby issue. LEGO building among adults, kids and
teenagers (I would hazard to say) is as strong or stronger today than at
anytime in the past. However, the way in which these people interact with
each other may have changed from the way you were most comfortable with. I
agree with you, LUGNET is not the same as it was 5 years ago. But it seems
to me that some of the other community sites arose because people were
unhappy (for whatever reasons) with certain aspects of LUGNET. Are they
happier now? Should changes have been made to try and keep them coming
back to LUGNET? Should LUGNET be artificially resuscitate if there is
really no interest or support from the people who've left? I don't have
the answers to these questions. I think the decisions are really up to
individuals. If Susan Q. Builder is happier over at a theme-specific site
and never longs for news/models from other themes then I wish her well. I
continue to read LUGNET daily because I'm not a theme specific person. So
there is still enough chatter on LUGNET to keep my interest. But perhaps
I'm among the minority in this case. It wouldn't be the first time for me.
:)
> Where are people getting news these days? LEGOFan?
Yes. And the other sites you mention as well, I would presume.
> The few times I have
> visited that site, it seems to be directed at a different audience (those • new to
> Lego?).
That has been more or less my impression of the site. Hobby building...
not as much community building. And I see a need for that. People new to
a hobby can be overwhelmed when trying to integrate into a long existing
community. For example, I have recently developed an interest in
mechanical watches (old fashioned analog time pieces that require no
batteries and no magical quartz crystals). I found a site that I thought
would be interesting to read and post to. It seems like it might be the
equivalent to LUGNET, only for the watch collecting hobby. After just a
few postings I realize there's no place for me there. This group is long
established and enjoy their own very restricted form of chat. I'm much too
loosey goosey for that site. So I'll move on. Do I need a site like
LEGOfan.org but for watches? Yes, I do. I need a place that doesn't
pounce on newbies and lets them explore the 'hobby' without the pressure to
simultaneously become part of the 'community'. A place to get your feet
wet without worrying about falling in the pool with your clothes on. Not
the best metaphor, but hopefully you get my meaning. :)
> And why is the closer integration with a TLG a good idea?
For some, yes, it's a great idea. Maybe not for you though? So there's
always the option of not participating in any of this integration and
simply enjoying the hobby on your own level.
> I mean,
> really...wasn't there something kinda cool about FANS building with Lego • without
> any involvement from the company? What's the benefit? Lego Ambassadors?
> Certified Builders? Have any of these developments actually increased • anyone's
> enjoyment of just clicking together bricks? Is having a handful of • regular
> people "in-the-know" a benefit to you personally or to a sense of
community?
Again, are they building community or the hobby? In the mix you note above
there is a huge amount of overlap into both areas. I think what's best is
to pick the parts that best enhance _your_ personal experience. If you
don't feel the Ambassadors are of any use then there's no reason to read
their posts or ask any questions of them. That might work for you. Others
may feel a great sense of comfort in being able to have a peek behind the
curtain, so to speak, of the company and its inner workings. I'm kinda in
that group. :)
> THINGS THAT ARE WRONG
> Our interest in the [snipped] case -- it's a court case, it's a person's • life, it
> only has to do with Lego incidentally.
In my mind it has nothing to do with either the LEGO building hobby or the
LEGO fan community. The issue is before the courts and I have every reason
to believe it will be dealt with appropriately. My only comment would be to
say that this type of alleged activity could happen with any products... it
is not a problem in anyway with the LEGO company or its consumers.
> Our addiction -- how much Lego is too much? I probably had about 100 • sets when
> I was a kid, built up over 4-5 years -- now I have 60,000 pieces. I feel • bad
> about this. I want to buy more Lego, but why? What's reasonable? $200
a year?
I believe these are entirely personal choices. <ENABLE Obi Wan Voice> You
must choose what's right </DISABLE Obi Wan Voice>. I'm being silly here,
but entirely truthful. Your depth of involvement in the hobby/community is
entirely up to you and you should only go as far as what makes you happy.
> Is more irresponsible? There are people living in poverty all over the • world --
> it's kinda sickening to think I spend more on a toy in a month than some • people
> spend on food. :( I'd really like to know what a sane amount of money is • - not
> based on what we have done as a community in the past - but what is • really a
> moral amount. Anyone want to really examine this? Do we dare?
You raise some very deep questions/issues here. I know that each year I
donate some LEGO products to a toy drive that we have in our office that
benefits kids in our community. I also, throughout the year, donate money
(usually in return for jean days) that goes to other organizations. Is
that enough? Does that make my LEGO purchases guilt-free? I honestly
don't know. I try to do my best, that's all I know how to do. In asking
the questions you have, I suspect you are doing what you feel is best and
99 times out of 100 that's better than not asking at all.
> I used to feel good about this hobby. Some days I still
> do. But I want to know what happened to the community - is it still • there? Is
> it thriving or dying? And I want to know how sane and moral this hobby • is. To
> me, these are important questions. I am hitting a wall coming up with
answers
Again, for me it all comes down to what makes the hobby exciting and
rewarding for me. A selfish approach? Well, yes, but if I'm miserable
then do you really want me participating in the hobby at all? :) I'd
rather chat with and meet with and share experiences with others who are
just enjoying the hobby. And if that builds a sense of community then so
be it. But it's my sincere hope that those I am interacting with have made
an attempt to find the best parts of the hobby (for themselves) and build
upon that solid foundation. To more specifically answer a couple of your
final questions:
Is the community still there? Yes, but it may be fragmented for reasons
expressed above.
Is it thriving or dying? Thriving in smaller pockets perhaps, but that's
the community side. I see the hobby growing and growing.
Is it sane and moral? Much more so than a lot of things in this crazy
mixed up world. Want to feel better about your involvement in the hobby?
How about sharing it with someone who's looking for a great hobby to be
involved in?
Thomas, I think you're both brave and wise to raise all of these issues.
You've obviously given it a lot of thought. But hopefully this discussion
and feedback from others will give you some of the answers you're looking
for. I wish you the best in your search.
Best regards,
Allan B.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Lego Hobby Blues
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| The thrill is gone. There's so much about our hobby that has changed over the last few years and a lot of it has changed for the worse. LUGNET This used to be THE place that the online community got together and talked about the hobby. Now, it has a (...) (19 years ago, 7-Dec-05, to lugnet.general)
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