# Arrogant Hobbyist mentality- where does it come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445 "2014-02-03T19:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/41 "2014-02-05T04:46:20Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I guess there’s arcana with every hobby and interest. Sheesh, take a peek at the guitar thread. I’m involved with saxophone geeks, and there, the arrogance is just as likely to come from certain professionals as from hobby players. (I’ve been both.) There are pros who insist on the highly collectible Selmer Mark VI saxes without question, as well as their favorite mouthpiece and custom refacer. And there are those who believe a good player can use any gear they choose. With more purely classical instruments, like the clarinet, the arrogance is _all_ from professionals (but not _all_ professionals). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/42 "2014-02-05T08:55:22Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > My stuff is better than your stuff. It’s not about stuff, it’s about ideological purity. Think about it this way: if you have a group of people who are bound together because they believe in something - be it hobby, politics or religion - doesn’t that mean that people who believe in it \*more \*are better than people whose faith isn’t as strong? Human beings, after all, are obsessive about setting social hierarchies. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/43 "2014-02-05T14:16:45Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Ego. > > Pretty much everyone wants to feel important and powerful. So a bit of knowledge and a fuck ton of ego in a very small pond is the perfect recipe for playing King of the Pond. There’s a related, but slightly different reason for some of it - people invest their self-worth in their beliefs. A hobby can become a critical part of their identity, and the decisions and beliefs they form as a part of that hobby, if questioned, can seriously seem to threaten their self-image. So it’s not just “I’m the best at this, I’m always right” - but “I need to be the best at this, I need to be right.” See also : Religious fundamentalism; sports assholes, etc. So it is ego, but it’s not necessarily the need to feel important so much as it is the need to avoid feeling unimportant, in many cases. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/44 "2014-02-05T14:48:58Z")
Stitch counters in reenacting (I do 18th Century, Rev War) are terrible. I much prefer a 10ft rule. If it looks good from 10ft, it’s fine. If you want to do more, good for you. As far as I can tell, in their opinion, if you didn’t harvest the flax, turn into linen thread and weave the fabric, handstitch the garment, and dye it yourself using only period correct equipment, technique and ingredients, then you are disrespecting those that fought the war you’re reenacting. :rolleyes: Gun owners are the worst though. If you don’t have glass on your gun that costs more than the actual gun did, then it’s not worth shooting. I go to the range and I outshoot many with my 60 year old .30-30 with a $75 Tasco scope. I also am somtimes out shot by folks with iron sights. I have good eyes, and the difference in light transmission only matters in that last 2 minutes of dusk, or at exceptionally long distances. If I’m worried about the shot happening or not that far away, or in that 2 minutes, it’s probably better for me to pass anyway. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/45 "2014-02-05T20:42:07Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > And there are those who believe a good player can use any gear they choose. I’ve never been a good golfer at all, but I’ve always been of the opinion that Tiger Woods could probably do ten times better with my mid-1980s clubs than I could with his top of the line 2014 clubs. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/46 "2014-02-05T20:46:55Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Or [thousands](http://www.stealthaudiocables.com/pricing/). Imagine spending more on 1.5m of cable than what my car is worth. I see that the Stealth cable company makes digital cables. Any fool who spends more than $5 on a cable for digital signals(S/PDIF) deserves to lose their money. Digital signals are an all-or-nothing kind of thing- either you get your digital signal and it’s as clear as it’ll ever be, or you get nothing at all, and you get no signal. The actual cable itself doesn’t have any impact beyond that, like it does in analog signals. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/47 "2014-02-05T20:48:56Z")
I’m so good at [hobby], I could be called the Jesus of [hobby]. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/48 "2014-02-05T21:15:50Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > I was a professional brewer for 5 years at a large Midwestern regional brewery Did said brewery also have ‘August’ in it’s name? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/49 "2014-02-05T23:46:34Z")
The whole war reenactor thing escapes me (and I have read Confederates in the Attic). Why anyone could expect to recreate that experience is impossible. Why they’d want to is a worse wonder. It’s like women joining clubs and pretending to be Sharon Tate or Nicole Brown Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/50 "2014-02-06T00:44:07Z")
> [@bump](#): > > On camera/photography boards, some ass will get on there and badmouth a lens because it’s not as sharp as the corresponding Canon L series lens that costs 8x as much, and that your pictures will suck as a result. Phooey. Complaining about the tits out lens, no matter Canon or Nikon can only be a hobbiest. I can only assume that you have never read one of the many Jpeg/Raw jihads. Declan ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/51 "2014-02-06T16:12:44Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Did said brewery also have ‘August’ in it’s name? 😉 I’m guessing you mean Schell’s? Actually, no. It was Leinenkugel’s here in Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![KermitTheFrig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/47e85d/32.png) [@KermitTheFrig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KermitTheFrig)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/52 "2014-02-06T18:12:20Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > The whole war reenactor thing escapes me (and I have read Confederates in the Attic). Why anyone could expect to recreate that experience is impossible. Why they’d want to is a worse wonder. It’s like women joining clubs and pretending to be Sharon Tate or Nicole Brown Simpson. Many historical reenactors, whether portraying the Pilgrims at Plimoth Plantation or a particular company of Civil War soldiers, do it in order to teach history to the general public. It often combines historical research, acting, education, practice of traditional skills as well as fun and companionship. Often there is camping, too, and singing and dancing. The battles are just one aspect of the hobby and not all of the people who are “war reenactors” participate in them. Not a whole lot different from dressing as a Storm Trooper or appearing onstage in a theatrical adaptation of The Three Musketeers. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/53 "2014-02-06T18:26:44Z")
A [reasonably relevant XKCD](http://xkcd.com/915/) (with the tooltip addressing the OP directly). ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/54 "2014-02-07T01:32:59Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > Phooey. > > Complaining about the tits out lens, no matter Canon or Nikon can only be a hobbiest. I can only assume that you have never read one of the many Jpeg/Raw jihads. > > Declan I was actually thinking of some comments on a photo site that I read once. I have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 prime (roughly $450). A surprising number of dumbasses compared it to the other f1.4 type lenses on the market, which were Canon L series, and found the Sigma lens wanting. It’s a great lens. It’s not L series quaity though; it’s consumer, or maybe pro-sumer quality, and comparing it to a specialized pro lens is idiotic. It’s like comparing an hobbyist swimmer to an Olympian and finding the amateur wanting. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/55 "2014-02-07T04:04:49Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I was actually thinking of some comments on a photo site that I read once. I have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 prime (roughly $450). A surprising number of dumbasses compared it to the other f1.4 type lenses on the market, which were Canon L series, and found the Sigma lens wanting. > > It’s a great lens. It’s not L series quaity though; it’s consumer, or maybe pro-sumer quality, and comparing it to a specialized pro lens is idiotic. It’s like comparing an hobbyist swimmer to an Olympian and finding the amateur wanting. I hear ya, I just finally started to upgrade to L lens. But its not like I am going to get a sharp tack photo, simply by putting the lens on the camera and firing. People need tribes to belong to , and heretics to shun. From what I have noticed on POTN, some of the siggys will compare either favourably with the Canon and in some cases exceed a comparable lens. That and not all of the L’s are the same build quality, so I would probably be really duely diligent about paying more than a thousand dollars, only to find out that it has issues. But to put down someone else’s brand choice or financial situation is low rent and arrogant, in my opinion. Declan ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/56 "2014-02-07T20:24:12Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > The whole war reenactor thing escapes me (and I have read Confederates in the Attic). Why anyone could expect to recreate that experience is impossible. Why they’d want to is a worse wonder. It’s like women joining clubs and pretending to be Sharon Tate or Nicole Brown Simpson. “Why” is no different from any hobby. I personally don’t understand why folks would want to collect useless items. For me, the reenacting isn’t so much about the war, it’s about the way people did things long ago. I’ve also learned a lot of history along the way, and had some experiences at historical sites that not many others can say they’ve had. It also combines a few of my preexisting hobbies, camping, guns, and spending some time with my family. I could do the first with my friends, but reenacting the Revolutionary War brings my family into the mix. I like the military drill, the cooking outdoors, and the discovery of how things were made before modern materials and machinery. The odd clothing choice was what brought my wife to ‘drag’ the rest of my family into the hobby. She loves to sew, and got an interest in 18th century clothing. She ran into someone while she was waiting for my daughter and handsewing a set of 'stays." (Corset). That lead to finding out that she could make, and actually wear, in public, these funny clothes. I figured “I’d give it a go,” and fell in love with the hobby. We’re entering our 5th season this year, and my daughter has been involved since she was 4 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/57 "2014-02-07T21:11:51Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > My stuff is better than your stuff. Well, it is if you use it the way YOU do. But it was never designed for that, which is why they made these–and they produce a far-superior result. What you’re using is optimal for this other thing. You just got lucky. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/58 "2014-02-07T22:41:38Z")
I’ve met guys who assure me that if you don’t use a SnapOn torque wrench, your car will immediately explode killing everyone you love. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/59 "2014-02-08T00:19:49Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > I’ve met guys who assure me that if you don’t use a SnapOn torque wrench, your car will immediately explode killing everyone you love. I started buying S.O. tools in 1965 when they were good. You can match or surpass the quality of a S.O. tool for less than 1/4 the price today. The 12 point sockets round off faster than a harbor freight tool. The hand wrenches are pretty good but there again you will get equal service out of a $40.00 or $50.00 harbor freight set instead of $300.00. They do have a good selection of special sockets and tools which are also becomming more readily available elseware. I don’t buy into the hype anymore. I have been twisting wrenches for over 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445/60 "2014-02-08T00:41:55Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > The whole war reenactor thing escapes me (and I have read Confederates in the Attic). Why anyone could expect to recreate that experience is impossible. Why they’d want to is a worse wonder. It’s like women joining clubs and pretending to be Sharon Tate or Nicole Brown Simpson. It’s not as bad as going in for Morris dancing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-hobbyist-mentality-where-does-it-come-from/680445.md?page=2)