Mine is video game playing. I used to love them as a kid, but dropped out after Playstation seemed to have permanently attracted an awful, disgusting new demographic to the scene. I hopped back in last year when the prices for this generation’s consoles got irresistibly low, and it turns out the landscape’s much worse than when I left. “Gamers” are now characterized as vapid, infantile, anti-social, racist, homophobic, sexist, narrow-minded, thoughtless idiots. I tried to get into 1Up.com’s podcast around the time of E3, but two episodes was all I could take of grown men (some married with children) constantly calling each other gay and finding it the height of wit (as well as collectively opining obnoxiously about things they obvioulsy knew nothing about). And I’ve heard enough about XBox Live to know that I’m never going to get into that.
Anyone else have hobbies with an embarrasing following?
Classic role-playing games have a splinter crowd that meets the OP description. I’ve had trouble in the past with players who to this day act like particularly annoying 12-year-olds. The group I’m with now has some borderline cases.
The ranks of musicians and audio recording engineers seem to be rife with elitists, gasbags, and narcissistic snobs who think they’re helping you by calling you a hopeless failure. Don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely, humble, and helpful people out there, but I’ve been incredibly lucky to find out where they congregate.
There’s no outside stigma like gaming; I have a feeling you brought up one of the worst ones.
I enjoy *Firefly *immensely but most Browncoats embarass me and I generally find myself rolling my eyes and/or exiting a discussion about the series not very far into it.
Pro wrestling fan since the '70s. I don’t pay much attention to the modern product, so I’m actually a “classic wrestling” fan–a niche within a niche, if you will.
Forget plush casinos with hosts in tuxedos, elegant lounges, and complimentary beverages. Those are for gamblers. As a horseplayer, I’ve hung out in the cheap seats of tracks with degenerates who are betting the rent, the mortgage, and the kiddies’ milk money. I’ve encountered drunks falling down or puking, people who urge their horse on using profanity that would make a sailor blush, and touts trying to operate some sort of scam. I’ve opened my Daily Racing Form on trains, planes, buses, and subways to withering stares from fellow passengers who equate me with those kinds of folks.
I’ve also made some money doing it, which makes it worthwhile.
I’ve worked SF conventions for the past five years as a reader, lecturer, and panelist. This year, Pepper Mill is working the con (officially, that is), too.
My mother offered to come up and help. That’s a train wreck waiting to happen. I’d love to see her reaction when confronted by a Con in full-fledged regalia.
I like hard rock music. This includes death metal, black metal, speed metal, etc. I mostly listen to it alone. I just like the loud and intense sound of it. By all outside appearances I’m a clean-cut gentleman and few would suspect that I enjoy such music. I don’t have any tattoos nor body piercings and I keep my hair well-groomed at a conservative length. My wardrobe does not primarily consist of apparel purchased from Hot Topic. I don’t worship Satan and I don’t do drugs or even drink and I don’t go to parties. People are always surprised by my music choices since I don’t “look the part.”
I’m into a lot of the stereotypical “geek” things: sci-fi, video games, anime, RPG, etc. I tend to keep it to myself, though, because most other people I’ve met who share these interests are obnoxious, insufferable dorks. I mean, I’m not exactly Mr. , but I shower regularly, dress myself with my eyes open, and have a modicum of social graces. I can’t be the only one!
I’m sort of the reverse. Where I live in Hicksville, NC, you’re a nobody if you don’t hunt, or have a humunguous 4X4. I don’t hunt anymore, at least big game, because I can’t eat the meat; I’m not opposed to hunting, or anything like that.
I also drive a station wagon instead of a pickup truck.
My more mainstream hobbies of model railroading and fishing are out of place.
I…watch X-Play. I don’t actually play video games (I liked Myst!), but my husband does a bit, and now, we watch X-Play, despite the fact that we don’t own a video game console and he only plays about 3 games. I guess because it’s just mindless enough to wind down a bit after putting the kids to bed?
Also, I do scrapbook, but I’m a minimalist and can’t grommet. I also sew a lot, but I really cannot understand the people who like to sew their scrapbook pages with decorative stitches. They call it sewbooking or some such awful term, and usually make elaborate doll clothes as well.
Another old fashion and old time D&D player. I still use the original AD&D rules.
Yes, I am married and have kids. No, she does not play and could not stand it the time she tried. No, really I do have a life, why do you keep asking?
Okay, you know how some people get together with old friends to play poker on Friday nights. About nine to twelve times a year, I get together with old friends and play an old game.
Silenus, I have been to one Star Trek convention and one GenCon. The geek level exceeds my own at both by a large margin. I am not saying this is a good thing.
Indeed. I was rather appalled when Serenity came out, and the theater I went to was FULL of dorks with brown coats, Blue Sun(I think- whatever that shipping company name was) and those idiotic yellow & red Jane hats.
I was well and truly embarrassed to have told co-workers and friends that I was going to go see it that very night, and that I encouraged them to go see it too. I was sure that someone was going to throw me in with the stinky, chubby, pasty 5’4" guy dressed like Wash, down to holding plastic dinosaurs.
(for the record, although I’m chubby, I’m otherwise well groomed and a decent dresser!)
One hobby I have that I’m kind of embarrassed by is shooting. While there are lots of normal people who happen to own guns and shoot them, if you go to a shooting range, you’re likely to encounter a nut at one time or another. I really don’t like being spoken of in the same breath as the mid-50s Dale Gribble type at the range, complete with conspiracy theories and an inability to actually hit what they’re aiming at.
Hell, those guys tend to think that if you’re at the range, then you must be a RKBA agitator, a lifetime NRA member, and certified wacko like them. If they’re that strange to people who DO shoot, I can only imagine how they come across to people who do not.
You want to be a real degenerate, come on down to the dog track.
Oh, I like to play poker but there is one type of poker player that I can not stand, the talkative know it all who comments on every hand and every possible play. Dude, I get it, you are far more into poker than I am. Now STFU!
, but I shower regularly, dress myself with my eyes open, and have a modicum of social graces. I can’t be the only one!