What Critical Thinking Means
How to Identify Hobbies That are Complete Timewasters
A thought experiment to help your own thinking
3 min readNov 6, 2022
Here’s the surest sign that a hobby is a giant waste of time:
Someone else is doing it and you’re not
No, really. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to dismiss what others do as unimportant? And not only that, but inexplicable.
- “You spend how much on knitting supplies each month?”
- “Wait, you actually collect used candy wrappers?”
- “Tell me again why you dress up in period costumes and don’t bathe for a week?”
If your hobbies are listed above, it’s not personal. I am just using them for illustration purposes. I am sure they’re fine pastimes — for you. And that’s the point. Your interests likely diverge widely, sometimes wildly, from others’ interests.
How Does It Help Me to Know This?
An interesting thing happens when you realize how easily you can dismiss other people’s heartfelt hobbies as terrible timewasters. With some self-reflection, you might accept the thought that your own hobbies are not objectively brilliant.
