news.volyx.in

Stop Acting Like You're Famous (ajkprojects.com)

620 points by ashleynewman · 851 days ago · 275 comments on HN

Article summary

The article advises individuals to focus on enjoying leisure activities for their own sake, rather than trying to impress an audience or make money. It suggests that optimizing for a non-existent audience can suck the fun out of an activity and lead to abandonment. The author encourages people to prioritize their own enjoyment and not worry about what others think. This approach can help individuals find genuine fulfillment in their hobbies and creative pursuits.

Main themes

  • Leisure activities
  • Personal enjoyment
  • Audience expectation
  • Creativity
  • Motivation
  • Hobby monetization

What commenters say

  • Focusing on personal enjoyment is essential to sustaining interest in a leisure activity, and external validation can be a hindrance to this enjoyment.
  • Some people find that creating something for others to enjoy can be a significant motivator and source of fulfillment, contradicting the article's advice.
  • Monetizing a hobby can be a natural and enjoyable part of the process, and it's not necessarily a distraction from the activity itself.
  • The article's advice to ignore audience expectation is not universally applicable, as some individuals find value in creating for others and receiving feedback.
  • The pursuit of external validation can be a valuable aspect of creative work, as it can drive improvement and growth.
  • The distinction between creating for personal enjoyment and creating for others is not always clear-cut, and many activities can involve both motivations.
  • Some commenters disagree with the article's blanket statement that monetization should be reserved for work, citing examples of hobbies that naturally involve buying and selling.
  • The idea that one should only create for personal enjoyment oversimplifies the complex motivations and rewards involved in creative pursuits.