America’s demand for speed and the existence of social media has made it harder for people to have real hobbies. It’s easy to brainstorm some classic hobbies like reading, crocheting, sewing, knitting, drawing, writing or even collecting things. But I don’t think many people can confidently say they spend enough time doing the things they love.
Life seems so much faster than it used to. Society has prioritized monetary and career success over anything else. The demands of this lifestyle make it harder to dedicate time to much else.
Other countries have noticed the speed at which Americans conduct themselves. The Polyglottist Language Academy highlighted key differences between the American lifestyle and the Italian lifestyle.
“The American cultural ethos values movement, growth and achievement. Being busy is often seen as a status symbol, a sign of being in demand and important,” said the PLA.
In this sense, American society considers how busy someone is and how much they are able to achieve as an indicator that someone is doing something valuable. A full schedule is something to strive for as it results in maximum productivity.
The PLA makes note of how even the mundane things differ greatly between the two countries. For Americans, when eating at a restaurant, fast service is the most important thing.
As a server myself, I understand that fast service is best for the business. My tip depends on how quickly I refill drinks, bring food and deliver the check. The faster one table is sat, fed, paid for and cleaned, the faster a new group can sit. This increases the amount of customers the restaurant serves, and therefore increases the business’s profit.
In Italy, eating at a restaurant is something to be savored. People take their time, and the bill is only brought when it is asked for. Servers don’t function in a way that prioritizes getting guests in and out of the restaurant as soon as possible.
“Dining is about connection and enjoyment,” said the PLA.
Even how Americans walk could confuse people from other countries. According to the PLA, Americans walk to get from one point to another. They are motivated by reaching their destination in a timely manner. In Italy, people enjoy walks in the evening to meet up with friends or take part in leisure activities like shopping.
When Americans prioritize speed in such trivial things, it’s no wonder this habit seeps into personal life. Going about your day with haste is taxing. By the time you feel as though you have been productive enough for the day there is little energy for much else.
At the end of a long day, it is easier to reach for your phone rather than the novel you have been trying to finish for the past three months. NetPsychology gives a reason social media has replaced beloved hobbies.
“Each swipe triggers a micro-hit of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation,” said NetPsychology.
These quick hits of dopamine affect attention span. Even a movie buff could have a harder time sitting through a film over two hours long if they grew accustomed to the quick gratification of scrolling TikTok.
As someone who loves reading, writing and crocheting, the decline in valuable hobbies disappoints me. I regularly pick up my phone instead of a skein of yarn and crochet hook, especially while I’m at school.
When there is so much I have to do, part of me feels guilty for setting time aside for the things I love. Like others, I have been programmed to maximize productivity.
I think if more people could learn to slow down and focus on the present rather than how much they are getting done, they would be much happier. Hobbies are part of someone’s identity. When we lose sight of the things we love, we begin to lose ourselves. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of American-valued productivity.
