Pinterest vs. Actually Doing Something

Writing, music, reading…are those your hobbies? You gotta understand that different people value different things. You may think you’re being really objective and you know what things are “valuable” and what are not, but really, you only see the world through your own eyes. We’re cultured into thinking that people who are into reading and writing are generally “better” than those who aren’t, but says who? No other than people who are also into reading and writing themselves! What do you think more practical, hands-on type of people would value in life? Practical skills like being able to fix a car, maintaining a well-kept house, maintaining a happy family, cooking, making useful things (like soap)…stuff like that. They’re not concerned about what they would say when they die (Not like anyone would ask them anyway).The essence of life for them is here and now, and the satisfaction you get when you ponder life and stuff, is the same satisfaction they get when they’re loved ones are healthy and happy, when the house is a pleasing place to live in, etc….Just because they use their time to scrapbook or make soap and not more cerebral things like reading doesn’t mean that what they do is petty. You like reading and writing, so that’s what’s valuable to you. They like scrapbooking and soap-making, and that’s valuable to them. Value is something really subjective and you’re never really in a position to tell anyone what hobby of their’s is valuable or not.

I’m sorry for the rant, but you seem to be belittling people that don’t think like you. Saying at the end that “It’s probably fine to have hobbies” doesn’t really cancel out the fact that you actually listed down what kind of hobbies you think should be valuable for everybody (reading, writing, music)

Thanks for your response.

I know I am biased against seeking out meaning-finding things vs. hobbies that just make something cute/pass the time without some kind of philosophy or whatever behind it because that’s the way I am wired.

I read a book when I was a Christian that talked about this couple that lived the American dream: found love, had a family, we’re affluent, retired to Florida. After they retired they liked to take walks along the beach and collect seashells. Forgive me if this is the same story I shard inthe post, I can’t remember but nothing was *wrong* with this couples lives but when they died they told a v unimpressed god “um look at my cool seashells.” so that book is horrible on a lot of levels but I will never shake that image of the end of the story, that life needs to be about something more impressive and meaningful than collecting seashells.