Hobby Snobs

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I learned to hate theater quickly because it was so full of pretentious snobs. My town had a community theater group headed by a flamboyant 17 year old guy, and the casting calls were such that for a play, about 40 people would show up and gather in a room at the community theater, and they wouldn't audition, he would just point out to people and assign parts as he saw fit. Once the cast was assigned, the remainder would be assigned to crew positions...set and costume, lights, and so on.

He had a tendency to pick the same circle of people for the cast each time and I was never assigned any part in anything. In other words, I was completely excluded. I did not even get a part on the crew, and I was usually the only one who was left out of all of this.

He didn't know me and I didn't know him. We had never spoken aside from him saying to those who didn't get picked (me) as if there were more people who didn't "Thankyou everyone else for coming."

I would often see him talking to his social circle though and honestly, he was so full of drama and gossip I was glad in the end not to have anything to do with him.

He must have had a cold shock when he got to Hollywood though because from the production end no one has time for drama and gossip and it's very business.

I will make a wildly overly generalized statement here: as long as there are people, there will be snobbery. For what ever reason, you make your own guess, people generally feel the need to elevate themselves among others, no matter what the subject matter. I say enjoy your hobby/special interest/obsession in what ever way you see fit.

a friend of mine said that she does not know why humans keep dividing themselves into smaller and smaller groups. We were talking about genocide, but I think snobbery and genocide pretty much have the same attitude. It is about deciding who is valid and who is disposable.

here here

it makes me wonder what ET sees in us.

I have had that experience on an online forum, though it wasn't about hobbies, it was for fans of a band. It took me a couple of years to grasp that to many people being a fan is an intensely competitive experience. I thought there was enough for everyone: anyone can buy CDs or attend a concert. But no, there was an insane amount of oneupsmanship, and a lot of it came down to financial resources as well, since people would travel even to other continents to see a special event, and especially to contrive an occasion in which they could personally be noticed by the band members. Then they would flaunt their special experience, only to be envied and hated. What is the point? Sigh.

You know there is a major effort in Nasa right now to locate ET for whatever reason. Stephen Hawkings seems to think that is a really bad idea.
Eitherway, there has been some shows on the Nat Geo channel about ancient people and artifacts that look very much like modern accounts of aliens as well as other evidence that ET was teaching the ancient people. Whether that is true or not, I dont know cause, I was not there. But if it were true, it appears that we have been disowned.

I like your attitude about being a fan. There is enough of celebrities to go around for everyone if we stick to the basics, i.e. CDs, DVDs, posters, etc. I admit that I can be competitive when it comes to my own favorite celebrities at times, but I'm trying to teach myself that being a fan isn't about competition; it's about sharing your love for your idols.

They sound like the creepy stalker type. I'd much rather just be a fan, as in someone who appreciates the work, not someone who obsesses about the person!

In fact, I'm not sure I want much to do with the actual person, lest they turn out to be d!cks, for lack of better word.

I suppose I should be glad that most of my interests are not conventional enough to have a forumbase for. Forums are mostly composed of cliques. This forum doesn't seem to have cliques, that I've noticed.

I agree. I think artists are at their best in their work. As people, they're like anyone else.

gulp.
i guess mr. hawking believes that since the benevolent ETs have disowned us [maybe] then we are at the mercy of the malevolent ones.

I've noticed that as well, that forums attract cliques and make it difficult to break into. As for me, I'm obsessed with my favorite actors (in a non stalkerish way), and I know I drive everyone nuts analyzing the presence of Christopher Walken and his many facets . Thing is, I'm so used to people losing interest that I don't even bother to enter into some discussions. For me, a hobbyist or simply an interest forum can be tested for inclusiveness quite easily....I usually see if I can nudge in with a joke (not ad hominem, but as an insider {or potential}). If the members begin to explain the validity of their opinions as if they're under siege, I leave quietly and hope they perish in a lake of fire >: ) It did bother me that I would not be accepted, but I usually found online buddies from that forum who were just as dismayed at the exclusiveness of the club (actually, many of those folks I've met were also Aspie!)

Last edited by Taliesin on 20 Nov 2010, 10:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I run into them all the time. Bike snobs. Snowboard snobs. Camera snobs. Bus snobs. And yes, even yoga pant snobs. I'm kinda snobby but in the hobbies I'm involved in, I won't hate you or talk smack just because you don't own x brand of bike/camera/snowboard/whatever. All it matters is that you are interested and passionate about what's involved.


Like cycling - I don't own a $3000-5000 Cervelo S/R series road bike - I have a $900 LeMond I bought for $600. But I still enjoy riding even if I don't have a super duper high end ride...

You guys are better off than I am in a lot of respects lol. Photography runs in my blood, my dad has a HUGE trophy for his high school photography work. I have no camera and have managed to get a 1600x1200 wallpaper quality shot out of a borrowed $70 2mp camera. In the mean time every scene girl on earth has a Nikon D or a Canon Digital Rebel and claims to be a photography expert because she can shoot flowers in black and white.

I also ride a $12 bike, it exceeds 30mph regularly. It however won't get the same attention a "proper" road bike with presta valves, 90 million itty bitty cogs, carbon fiber wheels, etc. gets going the same speeds.

My car, I've spent maybe a couple thousand dollars on and it's my pride and joy and despite being able to leave a stoplight faster than almost anything on the road it's looked down on because I don't have carbon fiber this, forged alloy wheels, a big brake kit or countless other stupid expensive things.

I don't know if I would classify myself as a hobby snob. What do you think? Do I come across as a hobby snob?