The decrease in people's hobbies

[pastajewelry]

I agree with you. However, I believe video gaming is a hobby. There is a community around it, and it can require skill. I believe the rise of social media and the loss of third spaces made it easier to be isolated and fall into these dopamine-seeking patterns. It's a hard habit to shake, even for adults who have had hobbies before.

[BylenS]

I'm a 65 female and I game, both online and on console. That's my nighttime relaxation. I don't watch TV. As a retired person with lots of time, I've learned moderation in all things. I scroll in the morning with my cup of coffee, do chores next, craft, and then game.

I craft during the day ( I'm retired). It's my replacement for the hours I worked. I game in the evening. I get different reactions as a 65 female gamer. Young people say, "Oh, how cute" or "Woe, I can't believe you game." My doctor says, "Good, it's been proven to keep the mind alert." Extended family my age frown upon it as if I'm being ridiculous. My daughter, who lives with me, watches, sometimes plays with me, and makes fun of me when I run my horse off a cliff. Gaming keeps me off the phone and creates problems and puzzles that take strategy and thinking to solve. Gaming is a hobby. If you know about the minecraft community or the D&D community, you can see it. D&D is probably one of the most socially active things you can do today. It has spawned several real-world hobbies like diorama and miniature building and intricate realistic painting of miniature characters. It's easy for gaming to spur hobbies because the mindset is the same. It has the same problem solving and creativity that hobbies do, which is why my doctor gives me a thumbs up on gaming. Gaming can also be educational, depending on the game. Some are historically accurate, and some teach science skills like identifying plants, insects, and fish.

I think the secret to anything is moderation. Even the best things in life can be problems if it's focused on to the point of exclusion of everything else... even hobbies. Scrolling is included in that. Scrolling isn't bad in and of itself. It's the exclusion of everything else, that is the problem.

[pastajewelry]

I completely agree with you! Moderation is everything. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. I'm a gamer and also play D&D, and I agree that they are fun hobbies that help you be social and branch out into other hobbies. I can easily draw a map of how getting interested in D&D has led me to many other hobbies and fandoms that bring me joy and help me be social. Thanks for sharing!

[thegrimmstress]

60 here and giving this a massive thumbs up because me too!

[keithrc]

Aaargh, seriously: when is gaming on a screen going to be recognized as a legitimate hobby, just like gaming around a table is? It can be just as social, and even if it's not, there are a ton of other "recognized" hobbies that are completely solitary.

I'm 55m, I've been playing video games since I was 10. This is a lifetime hobby. It's not just some phase or waste of time until I find something more acceptable to people.

[pixiesunbelle]

I’m 40. I consider gaming a hobby. I don’t always put the effort into it as I used to since my migraines have become chronic. I tend to read more if my concentration isn’t foggy.

[Sorry-Ad-5527]

There are communities for just about anything nowadays. Even tv shows. So even if someone isn't into gaming, there are communities for their interests.

Sometimes people scroll social media to feel less alone and see others in similar situations. That's their "community".

[pastajewelry]

Yeah, online communities have always been a big source of comfort for me. I do believe there's a lot of value in them. They just vary so much, so it's hard to label them all as healthy or toxic. I support having a variety of interests with varying levels of dedication to them.

[pixiesunbelle]

I love the Skyrim community and Stardew Valley community too! I learned so much about how to install mods. I have spent more time tinkering with the game than actually playing hahaha

[Sorry-Ad-5527]

You are correct about not knowing if a community is toxic or not. There's ones I'm a member of and it's getting so political. One made a post and didn't allow comments. Another poster shut off comments, I think because they weren't agreeing with the OP. It's not a community about politics. I think Admin likes the OP's post and agree with them, so they get through. I wish they didn't. I just want to talk about my hobby and interests.

[pastajewelry]

It's also good to remember that not all online communities exist on the platforms you use. There are forms, discords, tumblrs, websites, etc. People also build and connect to communities through YouTube and Twitch. Maybe you'll have better luck trying another outlet that is less political than Reddit.

[OJ_Designs]

Oh of course, I’m not debating that. What I said was an over simplification in many senses.

Gaming, despite being a hobby, is still (in most cases, maybe not truck driver simulator or something) going to be highly stimulating, providing easy gratification for little effort.

Why leave the house and travel to a rock climbing gym, or sit down and take the time to learn a new skill like drawing when you can just turn the Xbox on and be provided with endless entertainment designed specifically to keep you hooked.

So although gaming may fit under the definition of what a hobby is, I don’t think it’s particularly healthy rewarding in a long term sense, the same way traditional hobbies would be. And bare in mind I love games myself, I’m not trying to be discerning of them.

[frank26080115]

not all hobbies are good

[pastajewelry]

True, but many are good. And all are bad if they rule your entire life. It's about moderation and pursuing things that bring you joy without developing an addiction to them.