Wow, such condescension. Reminds me of the saying "Everyone thinks other people's hobbies are a waste of time". For some it's stamp collecting, others it's watching musicals, and others do programming. Everyone should be allowed to do what they love in their spare time without others looking down on them.
I used to collect Star Trek Christmas tree ornaments. At some point, I realized I'd just get a new one, put it in the box with the others, and not touch it until I open the box in a year. The end game of collecting seemed very futile.
This gave me a better appreciation for things that are performed (like playing an instrument) because they're never perfect, never finished, and there might not even be an artifact of it.
I was for a while, too, simply because of how I was raised. But as my own home filled, I clearly noticed how less happy I was becoming. And when my parents passed, the work of dealing with a full home was, frankly put, awful.
I purposefully have changed my hobbies to things like music, cooking, gardening. Gaming, too. You can practice a musical piece a thousand times- it doesn't add to your mess. Cooking fulfills an immediate need, and it's been my experience that quality food as a gift is more appreciated than almost any physical artifact. And plants bring their own joy, without continuously taking more space.
My mother once told me late in her life to spend my money on experiences, not things, and I think about it often. She was right.
He had all the "literary" stuff on prominent display, and all the genre fiction crammed into the back.
Oh, he'd sell you science fiction, or mysteries, or romance, or whatever, but he'd always make sure to give you a little sneer when ringing you up. "Enjoy your trash, lowbrow!"
His store went out of business and he had to liquidate his entire stock at 90% off.
Their secret? They have their 'trashy lowbrow' proudly front and center. They, of course, carry everything, but they also know what sells, and want people happily reading, no other requirements.
Turns out that sort of approach leads to lifelong, regular customers!
Finding someone who simply does it for 'joy' is against the grain.
It's like having a Porsche and not knowing anything about its internals or engineering history and simply driving it for fun on the track. If you join a car club, they'll think you are weird for not caring or knowing the displacement of your engine or your tire size.
Who cares if they do? If you want to buy a Porsche to enjoy hooning it around the track without knowing about any of that stuff, and if you can afford it? Why not do it? Who cares what those people think?
I absolutely don't mind if people want to geek out on the details or really take their hobbies seriously: that's totally cool. I do start to mind a bit when they expect me to do the same when that might not be what I want to do.
I definitely agree that it's annoying.
Oh, if you listen to C&W and read this - 'denigrate' means 'put down'.
:)
(I agree wholeheartedly, though - to each his own, and if I find joy in collecting whatever stamps come my way, then so be it - chances are I have as much fun collecting as someone who, say, only collects NK100 (Norwegian 10 øre posthorn stamp) - it was printed over several decades, more than half a billion of them in a country of (then) a couple of million inhabitants - lots of minor variations in paper, ink, engravings...)