'Escaping Reality', The Nature of a Hobby and Escaping Fake Friends

 

  This is a different kind of post from my usual as it reflects some of my thoughts on the nature of life and interactions with others..

 A Face Book 'friend' of mine recently made some comments that revealed him to be not only a bit obtuse but also not really a friend. Admittedly, his comments were triggered by a political disagreement. Attacking me personally instead of being able to articulate a reasoned reply is a gross weakness. He is hardly the only fake friend I have discovered in my life.

  He said he would not pay much attention to what someone who is in his 6os says but also someone whose house is 'full of toy soldiers' as a way to 'escape reality'. (He also made some comments that showed what despicable colleagues I had in the past but somehow their comments were valuable to my 'friend'). As for the casual 'ageism' I hadn't really thought much of it before but at 66 I am technically 'old'. As far as I am concerned age has given me a lot of knowledge, experience and wisdom that only living life longer can bring. Yes, I miss being 30 years old but how much more naive I was then than now.

  But getting back to the hobby aspect I ask the following questions: How do people get along WITHOUT hobbies and what makes what I do somehow disreputable or questionable?

  I assume some people don't have hobbies because they lack imagination, perseverance or skill. Astonishingly, some of those also don't read. They must get awfully bored.

  Others define hobbies somewhat broadly. Is getting plastered Friday night really a hobby?

  As for 'escaping reality' well yes and no, painting and gaming with military miniatures normally involves an element of research into the 'reality' of history. It also can involve creating fictious worlds with dynasties, maps of imagi-nations, heroes and villains. it also involves creative skills of building models and painting them. Many movie and political celebrities collected toy soldiers. Winston Chruchill and Charlton Heston were just two of many.

  But as a distraction from elements of everyday life that may be tedious or even toxic, hobbies in general, and mine in particular are therapeutic. People 'escape reality' by watching Netflix, playing on-line games, watching sport (or playing it) indulging in various recreational drugs and so on.

  If I was to compare some of those pass-times to my own I note that my hobby involves creativity, imagination and research. How does that compare to passive recreations like watching the results of someone else's creativity or physical exertions on TV? Or how does it compare to drinking oneself silly (or to an early greave)? Of course, don't drink alcohol much or at all and that is considered, by many, 'strange' also.

  The thing with a creative hobby (and this is not my only one) is that I have ownership and control of it. It is what I want it to be. It also gives opportunities to share with others. (Of course, there are also fake friends among those who share a hobby). I also am a swimmer, but I regard that as more of a pass-time than a hobby. I also sketch and draw cartoons. As for those who don't share the hobby, I usually find the more intelligent people appreciate it. The less intelligent are more likely to be bewildered, sarcastic or perhaps even jealous.