Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
General Discussion (Model Railroader)
»
WHAT MAKES MODEL RAILROADING "The Greatest Hobby in the World"?
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
Well, this will make me wildly popular, I'm sure... But my answer is "Not a darn bloody thing." <br /> <br />Yes, it's a great hobby. It's the greatest hobby in the world... for me. For my friend Jeff, golf is the greatest hobby. For my friend Andy, his classic corvette is the greatest hobby. For the guy in the alley, shooting smack is the greatest hobby... but I digress... <br /> <br />I think the slogan is pompous and obnoxious. It smacks of "my hobby is better than your hobby" which I don't like any more than I like the endless discussions of what makes a "real" or "serious" or "genuine" model railroader. <br /> <br />When I see "World's Greatest _____" on anything, my first thought is "BS" and my second thought is "lazy ad agency couldn't come up with a good, targeted, tied-in, relevant slogan"... (I'm in advertising, FWIW, so I'm insulting my own profession there). It's tired, trite, overused, boring and meaningless. <br /> <br />Yes, model railroading IS a great hobby. So are some others. I can give many reasons _I_ think it's superior, but they really apply only to me, my outlook and my situation. It's more comprehensive, skills-wise, than many hobbies. It can be a better "whole family" hobby than others. It can be engaging for decades without getting old or repetitive. It gives the satisfaction of "creation" that many hobbies don't. There are many, many things that make it great... <br /> <br />I could also put forth reasons that it isn't the be-all-end-all of hobbies. Many hobbies are expensive, and so is model railroading. There are certainly cheaper hobbies. One could argue that since its denizens are often closeted in basements, attics and spare rooms for hours on end, it's less inclusive than other hobbies. It could be argued that it's not as health-friendly as, say, hiking, camping or rollerblading (and if care isn't used around some of the materials used, it can actually be unhealthful). <br /> <br />I'd suggest that ANY hobby has its lists of pros and cons, and that these lists are not uinversal, that a hobby's value and luster is innately tied up in the person involved. So is it the greatest? I posit that NO hobby is THE greatest.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
Jackflash
jacon12
see all »
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up