Popular hobbies and interests change
over time and are more a reflection of trends and fashions than an indication
of what individuals really want to do in their spare time. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
Some
leisure activities become fashionable for a short time and then disappear when
a new trend comes along, whereas others seem to be perennially popular. I can
therefore only partly agree with the assertion that hobbies reflect changing
fashions rather than our true interests.
On
the one hand, it is true that many hobbies are simply passing trends. Children
and teenagers, in particular, are attracted to whatever activity is currently
popular among their peers. My 10-year-old niece, for example, seems to have a
new interest every month, as she joins in with the latest craze that sweeps
through her primary school. Over the last year or so, she has been obsessed
with Rubik’s cubes, fidget spinners, squidgies and slime. In a similar way,
there have been several different fitness trends for adults over recent years,
from jogging to yoga to circuit training, and I doubt whether the majority of
participants continued to enjoy those activities in the long term.
On
the other hand, many people spend their free time doing popular activities that
are far from trendy. One good example would be the game chess. Children and
adults who enjoy playing chess are certainly not following a new fashion or
wasting their time on something that they do not truly like. On the contrary,
they are passionate about a game that has existed for hundreds of years, and
they find it inherently fascinating and absorbing. I would say the same about
many other hobbies, from reading to swimming.
In
conclusion, while some people are attracted to the latest fashionable hobby,
others choose their pastimes for more genuine reasons.
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