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Subject: 
Re: Hobby Show thoughts and afterthoughts
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
Date: 
Tue, 16 Dec 2003 15:27:57 GMT
Viewed: 
581 times
  
In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, Allan Bedford wrote:

I'm not sure if I believe Lego is really a hobby.

Not a hobby at all?  Or just not a hobby in the sense of the types of activities
featured at The Hobby Show?

Just so I can sound like a teenage girl at the regional debating tournament
meet:

Merrian Webster defines a hobby as "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation
engaged in especially for relaxation"

Is Lego a hobby?  Well, it is a pursuit outside of one's regular occupation.

Where I care to differ is:

a) Relaxing.  Lego, at least not the stuff we do, isn't relaxing.  Fun, sure.
Brain-wracking, yes.  But relaxing?

b) Outside of regular occupation.  I've long believed what we do in rtlToronto
is very much similar to what people do in their real jobs.  The approach Chris
might take building the next flamethrowing lion's head for a Disney musical is
very much the same as he would attempting ricepicking or another competition.


But really my beef with it being a hobby is that a hobby includes a few things
I'm not comfortable:

-Cheerleading about the "community" of that hobby.  Trying to recruit new people
into the hobby.  I think it was Ted or someone at East Coast Robotic Games who
tried to sell me on the idea of doing work for them as a way to gain more
members for rtlToronto.  I flat out told them we don't honestly care if more
people join the group.  God help us if we go around trying to stir up
discussions of how much we love Lego.  Chris I think would be the one leading
the group in "Kumbaya", I suspect.

-The fact most hobbyists are seniors and retirees.  It's like as if a hobby has
to be something you do once you have nothing else to do, ie, you're bored.  I
think people participate in Lego because it's constructive and active, not
something you do because your wife wants you out of the house when you're 58.
People in our group make time in their schedules for Lego, not because they're
greying and the church auxiliary is done for the season.

Or more simply..... is there a difference between an enthusiast and a hobbyist?

I don't know.

Who was doing this in the LEGO booth?  Please provide names.  They will be

No, I'm referring to the model train guys in other booths.    Though DaveK might
be veering there :)

Proud?  I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean.  Even if you just use LEGO as
a means by which to achieve your other goals (train layouts and/or robots) isn't
it still a pretty cool means to an end?

Cool doesn't mean it's a hobby.  Say you're a DJ in your spare time and you spin
records at the local coffee shop for fun.  Is that a hobby?    Is it an personal
interest?

Calum



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Hobby Show thoughts and afterthoughts
 
(...) Not a hobby at all? Or just not a hobby in the sense of the types of activities featured at The Hobby Show? Or more simply..... is there a difference between an enthusiast and a hobbyist? (...) Who was doing this in the LEGO booth? Please (...) (21 years ago, 16-Dec-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)

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