Gaming as a hobby

[DoPo]

If you willingly and purposefully do something in your spare time in order to not feel bored, that's pretty much what a hobby is.

Yeah, I don't think people are actually debating the meaning of the word, it's more about the context of what causes people to roll their eyes in social situations - someone whose hobbies are all the passive consumption of entertainment are not perceived the same way as people whose hobbies are more active and/or creative.

I find that hard to believe, as the quote I had in that post literally said word for word "reading isn't a hobby but writing is". And it opens up with exactly the definition of what an opinion is, before it gets to that conclusion.

 

[Raikas]

I find that hard to believe, as the quote I had in that post literally said word for word "reading isn't a hobby but writing is". And it opens up with exactly the definition of what an opinion is, before it gets to that conclusion.

Well yeah, but in a discussion about social norms when I see people talking about how they define things it looks more like a discussion of the context-dependency of the words than a discussion of absolutes. *shrug*

 

[Guffe]

As most people have pointed out here almost anything can be a hobby.
I mean some think of cooking, fishing and hiking as a hobby while others see Football and tennis as their hobbies. Some people call collect stuff or creating minature planes a hobby while some also think of reading or watching movies as a hobby. So for me if all this can be called hobbies then so does gaming. It's something I enjoy doing, simple as that.

 

[FoolKiller]

People seem to view it [video gaming] as more of time killer if anything.

Here is my way of viewing things:
hobby - something you do in your spare time because you want to do it, and don't need to do it to survive
Examples
playing video games
raising children
sports

time waster/time killer - something you do to pass the time when you can't do a hobby.
Example
playing Angry Birds only on the subway ride to/from work

The main distinction is whether or not you would do something else given the opportunity.

As a bonus here is my definition of hardcore gamer:

hardcore gamer a person whose primary hobby is playing video games

 

[putowtin]

I play games,
It's not a hobby or a pass time,
I'm not a geek or a nerd

I just play games

[sub](Better copyright that before someone shoves it on a teeshirt!)[/sub]

too bad, too late!

muhahahahaha

But I have had it made up as a teeshirt, might wear it next time I see my sister!
(that 'aught to annoy her!)