'Giving up hobbies that bring joy is pitched as a mark of successful adulthood': 30 year-olds and up defend keeping up their leisure activities

JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor

Jul 20, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

Most experts on life (aka psychiatrists, philosophers, life coaches) will tell you that having a hobby is key. You need an outlet that doesn't have anything to do with your way of making money. Having something to do just for the sake of doing it, and because you enjoy it, is one of the tenants of a fulfilled, happy life. Then why does it feel like we're being pressured to give them up after we hit a certain age?

The internet is full of 'grindset' pundits who claim anything other than going to the gym and making money is a waste of your time. We're inundated with messaging about optimizing and maximizing every free moment of our lives for personal gain, making money, and climbing the ladder. But what happened to sitting down for a while to whittle a bar of soap? What happened to losing a couple of hours in pursuit of the perfect model train set? A few brave adults set out in defense of hobbies, and it's a satisfying read.