Would you class these as hobbies?

[Paulatreides]

Watching TV/films, watching the football, reading, playing games on the PS5, etc.
Not sure if they're classed as hobbies as such or just things that most people do?

That's a shame. I'm not a gamer myself, but DH is. It teaches problem solving skills and spatial reasoning. When we sit down for the evening, he's certainly much more engaged in his gaming than I am on MN.

I think TV, films and social media have become so ubiquitous that they are not worth recording as hobbies. Gaming I would see as a hobby, because there are lots of people who don't do that and it has its own subculture. Learning online is an change in the way we learn, not a change in that being a hobby, but I would probably not both count 5 mins on duo lingo as a hobby, if it's more than that then of course it is.

Personally I wouldn't class them all as hobbies, just leisure activities. I feel like watching movies and football are such passive activities that they don't really require any effort or knowledge. But I slightly base my opinion on the sheer amount of people I used to see on Tinder who would say they like watching TV, watching football and going to the gym and that was literally all their interests.

I think active engagement is needed for a hobby. Passive consumption, not so much.

I wouldn’t tend to call watching television or movies a hobby, unless you got really into character analysis or something. At that point I’d call it “an interest” I think.

Board games, online gaming, cooking (out of interest rather than making essential meals), art, sewing/knitting/crochet, puzzles, models, gardening, birdwatching, sport, writing - something that engages you, interests you and you actively participate in is a hobby. It doesn’t have to be educational.

Your ex is talking nonsense.

Absolutely. Our youngest’s full on love of film has led to a career.

I watch tv and read , I’d certainly not class it as a hobby. My husband games, he’d not class that as a hobby. But he would golf. Although I don’t think people use thr word really any more. Unless on a job application.

Agree with this. The word „edifying „ comes to mind when thinking about hobbies.

I’d call them pastimes, rather than hobbies.
Hobbies to me means actively doing something, whether e.g. cycling, playing golf, baking cakes or knitting.

It’s a weird question really, because literally anything can a hobby, depending on your level of dedication. Something that is merely an interest to one person (or something you just ‘do’), could be a hobby to another and a passion to yet another.

I love TV and film, so I consider it a hobby of mine. I seek out new TV series and movies all the time, I am a member of various online groups, I go to the cinema alone (sometimes!) so I can see specific movies that my DH has no interest in and I have been to a few film festivals.

It’s a regular part of my life that I really enjoy. So definitely a hobby.

I stufy language(s) online, it's most definitely a hobby! 👏

I think a lot of people like to make themselves feel important by believing the stuff they do is somehow more valuable or worthwhile than others. Part of that process is diminishing activities other people do, while talking up the ones you partake in.

Ultimately there is a huge amount of variety and depth in just about any activity if you go into it deeply enough.

Reading most definitely is a hobby. And buying books is another one.

Oh I hate hobbies.
my husband seems to think they have to be wholesome activities that you can do alone and don’t cost a lot.
I would say my hobby is meeting friends for coffee and cake. Mainly because I love it but don’t get much time for it so it’s one of my favourite things to do. My husband says a hobby has to be something like sports or crafting or baking. He’s grown up with parents and siblings having hobbies like this and believes this is normal. I grew up with my parents hobby being going down the local pub so we have very different ideas haha.

I would say reading is a hobby as is watching films or sports but no to tv and gaming

Why would you call reading a hobby, but not gaming? genuinely curious as I'm a reader not a gamer and I would say it was more the other way around?

Pastimes?

I’m a voracious reader and I feel like it expands my world view and increases my knowledge base and vocabulary it also give me a window into experiences I will never have. I’m not a gamer but I just don’t see the same level of reward from it but I’m happy to stand corrected.
so my definition of a hobby is based around what I get out of it.

It need to be more than a way to pass the time.

Not sure I'd call watching tv a hobby, but would include the others. I call my love of French cinema an interest, some might call it a hobby.