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Lesley Carhart :unverified:

I feel so soap-boxy lately, maybe because I’m teaching a class, but here’s another kernel of truth I’ll throw at y’all about communities:

If you are trying to get new people,especially diverse people and young people into your hobby, and your first reaction is to show off your really expensive kit and say how much it cost, you are gatekeeping mega mode, even if you’re just trying to share your interest. Nobody wants to hear there is a $1500 (or $5000) barrier to entry to their new hobby. It’s demoralizing, not educational, and they’re just gonna leave.

Happens in bicycles, drones, photography, astronomy, gaming, marksmanship… you name it, there’s a rich older white dude ready to show off his six grand investment in a hobby to a college student with a three digit bank account.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:38 | Open on infosec.exchange
12 comments
Lesley Carhart :unverified:

For the neurodiverse out there, here are some better ways to share:

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve invested a lot of money, but you can absolutely enjoy it with (free options, low cost options, and something moderate if they’re considering investing a little more)”

“There’s no one way to enjoy this hobby, so invest what’s right for you and your budget!”

5 Sep 2023 at 5:41 | Open on infosec.exchange
That Anonymous Coward

@hacks4pancakes

"When I was just starting out, I had x, y, z....
Now you might think about trying W but that never works like you expect."

These can get you started and then you can move onto the more advanced thing, but these work just fine.

Oh yeah company Q might look attractive but you can do better with U.

Share the tidbits you wish someone had shared with you early on, they don't need to waste time & money on crap.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:45 | Open on hachyderm.io
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Patrick Lam

@hacks4pancakes my daily commuter bike I got for $70 used. (Then again that's not really a hobby but a means of transport).

5 Sep 2023 at 6:02 | Open on mastodon.nz
Dewey Ritten (taylor's version) :donor:

@hacks4pancakes I've seen this in as of late too, not in material items but in unsolicited salty opps into private training by chess coaches.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:42 | Open on infosec.exchange
John Wehrle (v2)

@hacks4pancakes

Great point! I think it also applies to time investment as well. Some people have a lot more time for hobbies than others.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:45 | Open on toot.cat
SFborn1940

@hacks4pancakes Nice thing about model railroading is that you can start cheap and build up gradually at your own speed.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:45 | Open on sfba.social
tendstofortytwo :blobcattea:

@hacks4pancakes
this is so true, I finally got into mechanical keyboards only after I discovered that there's an r/budgetkeebs subreddit that will help me spec out a keyboard as cheap as I would like and help me make the right decisions to upgrade later

5 Sep 2023 at 5:51 | Open on social.treehouse.systems
DELETED

@hacks4pancakes so true, it’s setting the bar so high and saying “you shouldn’t even try”.

I subscribe to the mantra of “it’s about you, not the tool”, and the “best camera is the one that’s with you” and “you can make anything good even if it’s with humble ingredients”.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:55 | Open on sunny.garden
Yakyu Night Owl

@hacks4pancakes Thank you. This. Absolutely this. All day. The investment hurdle has chased more good people out of music, and kept a lot of well-heeled dabblers entrenched in gatekeeping roles. Watched it for decades and it's disheartening.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:56 | Open on mastodon.world
Staid Winnow

@hacks4pancakes

I'm at the stage where I walk away fast if someone tries to get me into their hobby.🤣

I've gotten gift certificates to classes in woodworking, and yoga.

And left the gifters deeply hurt when I said I wouldn't be pursuing them.

I refrain from recruiting people into playing tennis too.

5 Sep 2023 at 5:56 | Open on mastodon.social
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