The idea is not to be the best. The philosophy is to experiement, try, and have fun while discovering what we, or others, can achieve. My hobby is electronics. I'm learning every time I practice and the fun and rewarding part is that there is still a lot to learn and improve. That's what a hobby should be.
:D this is exactly what OP is about: you are a former scener?
Or did you enjoy being part of the demoscene on your thursday nights?
Instead I prefer to say "I'm in the demoscene"
I've made demos, but I don't like attaching my whole identity to a group of people, it's close to cultish. On the other hand it makes you feel good about yourself and allows one to attach one's status to other people's status. For this reason it is inevitable that people would do it.