Have you ever been discouraged or critisized for your hobby or interest?

[Jusdifferent]

A couple of years ago, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was one of my special interests. I got bullied so much about it (including one person who believed all Bronies "deserved to die"), that I forced myself to drop my interest and move on to something else. I kind of miss my MLP interest sometimes, but I don't think it's worth being ridiculed over. (Oh, and by the way, the people who bullied me were not NTs, but members of a different Asperger's forum. Why they felt the need to put down a fellow autist is beyond me.)

Sad. ( HUG ) *People can be so damn mean, sometimes.

 

[Jusdifferent]

Parents: "Don't read so much!" (I was a stupid and naive child and obeyed.)
Teachers: "You daydream too much!" ("Go engage with those kids who'll literally torture you while we watch instead!")
Father: "Learn to take constructive criticism!" (Of the "you're a horrible person and will never amount to anything" kind.)

Mmmmmm... I heard a lot of this crap too. And, now that I am older, I know that's exactly what it was - crap.

 

[Jusdifferent]

When I was very young I had an idea, that idea became the core of my special interests. When I was a bit older, and doing the job my folks wanted me to do, I packed it all in and made my special interest my life. My friends, at that time, and my family, disowned me. They all told me I was foolish, that it would never work out, that I was throwing my life away.

So.Wrong.

My special interest became hugely succesful, made me rich and gave me the chance to travel the world. I loved every minute but my folks, however, never spoke to me again, ever.

And me?

I cared not a jot!

Never give up your dreams for someone else, or because they told you too.

That's AWESOME. Seriously.
BTW : I lost most of my family, too because of life choices - not fun, but oh well - chuck it in the "****-it bucket" and move on.

 

[Jusdifferent]

Oh, yes the money comments. Sounds just like my dad used to talk. I hope you can filter out that kind of negativity better than I did when I was young. It's extremely difficult when one's own parents give those kind of messages.

Yeah, I remember the "money arguments" all too well.

 

[Adora]

Adora I love the picture you use. Is any of your art on the internet to view? I would like to see some of it.
I was diagnosed as an Aspie about 5 years ago and I am now 70. I have had many hobbies, interests and obsessions. They were mine and I loved them. I now have a lot of time to pursue my interests and my wife thinks I am crazy but she is one of those brain damaged people and I love her to bits.
Don't let anybody put you down you are a beautiful and talented person.

No I don't have any of my drawings on the internet I usually draw comic book or anime stuff.

 

[Ichabod Shapiro]

My dad used to be upset at my sense of humor because of how morbid it is. Now he is more accepting but he still tells me to enjoy more adult related interests when all I want to do is watch the muppets, Scooby Doo, or SpongeBob SquarePants or the like. I honestly don't care or have any interest in politics, sports, adult TV shows unless it's an animation, and I don't understand adult humor.

 

[Adora]

My dad used to be upset at my sense of humor because of how morbid it is. Now he is more accepting but he still tells me to enjoy more adult related interests when all I want to do is watch the muppets, Scooby Doo, or SpongeBob SquarePants or the like. I honestly don't care or have any interest in politics, sports, adult TV shows unless it's an animation, and I don't understand adult humor.

I'm the same in regards to cartoons,I'm not interested in sports or the adult TV shows,my dad use to pick on me for liking cartoons and use to give me a hard time about liking some comic books,even though it was him who introduced me to comic books.

 

[chartreuse]

My Mum criticizes most of my interests but the interest of mine which seems to draw the worst responses from people is the interest of writing. Most people give me a sort of smirk and lack of interest in knowing any more about it. This is Australia, and our general culture (non-multicultural in consensus) dictates that writing is a woman's interest, or otherwise a waste of time, and hardly ever any good. As reading isn't something generally acceptable for men to have an interest in either.
So I suppose I'm at the extreme of societal boundaries with my other main interest being chess, and the fact that I live in a rural district. There are many generations of indoctrination in this locality toward more old fashioned views, and interests in farming, etc. I must be a right ol' Englishman out here!

 

[kchapman1988]

if you discover you have skill in something and can motivate yourself to keep practicing you can make a 'real, valid, useful occupation' out of damn near anything. the important things are 'can you do something of high quality? will people pay you for it? is it something you can fairly consistently do well?' creative hobbies can make money it just depends on you.

 

[kchapman1988]

My Mum criticizes most of my interests but the interest of mine which seems to draw the worst responses from people is the interest of writing. Most people give me a sort of smirk and lack of interest in knowing any more about it. This is Australia, and our general culture (non-multicultural in consensus) dictates that writing is a woman's interest, or otherwise a waste of time, and hardly ever any good. As reading isn't something generally acceptable for men to have an interest in either.
So I suppose I'm at the extreme of societal boundaries with my other main interest being chess, and the fact that I live in a rural district. There are many generations of indoctrination in this locality toward more old fashioned views, and interests in farming, etc. I must be a right ol' Englishman out here!

women's work my glorious golden arse you can write about anything, books can work the mind, fire the imagination or help you escape your current situation for a few hours. without imagination nothing new would exist!

 

[Balkan1996]

I've heard that "there's no bread in art" line a gazillion times.

 

[Ylva]

I've heard that "there's no bread in art" line a gazillion times.

You, of course, immediately sculptured bread, painted bread, and wrote a song about bread, and carry a photo of it in your wallet to show anyone who says that.

 

[Balkan1996]

You, of course, immediately sculptured bread, painted bread, and wrote a song about bread, and carry a photo of it in your wallet to show anyone who says that.

And I hope I'll someday eat a piece of bread.

 

[kchapman1988]

And I hope I'll someday eat a piece of bread.

has nobody ever heard of artisan bread? butchers, bakers and candlestick makers! artisan crafts are coming back in a big way. the thing that matters really is quality. well and rarity but combines with quality, high quality is a rare thing and rare is always worth money

 

[Balkan1996]

has nobody ever heard of artisan bread? butchers, bakers and candlestick makers! artisan crafts are coming back in a big way. the thing that matters really is quality. well and rarity but combines with quality, high quality is a rare thing and rare is always worth money

Wise words from Nicholas Cage.

I'm Slavic, bread is in my blood.



(Sorry for being off topic)

 

[4gottenLoreKali]

Yeah, I have. One particular interest that I can't mention here in a public section of the forum has warranted me to be bullied and almost disowned by my parents.

 

[epath13]

I don't think I've ever been discouraged, but I've been asked several times by different people (family members and not), "how long is it going to take for you to get somewhere with all this?" Or "maybe you should be less focused on tiny details and just get something done?" Me? Not focusing on details?! Are you crazy?! but seriously, sometimes I do want to give up... sometimes I have no idea why am I still going... I guess stubbornness is in my DNA, I'm just not capable of giving up

 

[Tycho Berglund]

My parents are deceased, but yes the words and attitudes were left here in my head. When they pop up as troublesome - and that's only natural - I (metaphorically) send them back from whence they came.

I am sixty years of age now, but when I was a youngster no one had any idea what was wrong with me much less any knowledge about Aspergers Syndrome. There is a real sense in which my parents passed on with out ever really knowing who or "what I was" so to speak, and on important terms.

 

[kchapman1988]

what hobbies have people been discouraged from? can you think of ways to make money from it?

 

[Balkan1996]

what hobbies have people been discouraged from? can you think of ways to make money from it?

Writer, musician, painter, athlete etc.
I doubt ANY artist you've seen in the last 50 years was supported by family. Mehh, in the last 500 years!

You can make money out of it, of course, but you gotta be good. Some people love soccer, but can't play it for s**t.