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Frustrated with People's perception of HV hobbies.

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LAN_403

HV Enthusiast

Sun Jun 17 2007, 08:30PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Just act crazy when working with your stuff. If you look scary enough, people will be too scared to come up to you and ask questions.

Ken M.

Sun Jun 17 2007, 08:53PM

Registered Member #618 Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 04:15AM
Location: Us-Great Lakes
Posts: 628

Yes, and don't forget to have that menacing crazed look in your eyes, it works for me plus the evil mad scientist laugh.

Part Scavenger

Sun Jun 17 2007, 09:14PM

Registered Member #79 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 11:35AM
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 673

My cousin likes to pester me about it. I just tell him, "Yeah, people like me designed that TV you sit in front of all day."

I always feel really embarassed talking to most people about it because I feel like a total jerk explaining to them about things, 'cause I don't know where to start. I usually wind up sounding like I'm making up complicated words to sound smart or something...

Most of my frustration comes from the lack of excitement on other's part. I have nobody to share immediate excitement with that really understands what goes into it! "Wow! Look at the switching waveforms!!!" "...Yeah, ok. The squares are pretty. What does that mean?" Sigh. I wish some of you guys lived across the street, not even one person I have EVER met in person knows what a MOSFET is.

Steve Conner

Sun Jun 17 2007, 09:19PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Hmm, well if it helps, I felt the same at school as Firkragg did, and I agree with the sentiments expressed in this thread. Life got a lot happier when I left to study engineering at university, and now I actually get paid to geek around with computers and electronics all day, it's just great!

I don't expect Joe Public to understand what we do, but he should at least respect it. Where on earth does he think all these cool things like MP3 players, cell phones, PS3s, plasma TVs and cruise missiles come from? They are invented and designed by so-called "nerds" like us. If Joe Public doesn't like nerds, he should boycott high technology. I think the only real issue is that dumb people feel threatened by people smarter than them, and that is probably human nature and will never change.

One thing I noticed is that some people almost seem to revel in their nerd outlaw status. I don't necessarily think this is a good thing. GreySoul's comment about cooking meth is a case in point: why on earth would the cops search his house in the first place? Even if they did, what on earth would he have to worry about, considering that they wouldn't find any meth (I hope)? He's just trying to make the ownership of sodium and iodine look more glamorous than it is, and not exactly doing the geek cause any good.

Conundrum: You can buy IPA from Maplin, unless you meant India Pale Ale

Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Sun Jun 17 2007, 10:58PM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

The more you explain something to someone who doesn't understand/know/care, the worse off you're going to be.

If you explain your interests to "outsiders" they're going to want to know more about you, then rumors spread, and then you have someon knocking on your door.

I hide everything in plain sight and everyone stopped asking questions, It's the way I prefer it. I don't get a lot of questions anymore, I just do what I do.

So overall, don't even try to explain, that only leads to controversy or something you don't want to talk about, or something that might be illegal.

ragnar

Sun Jun 17 2007, 11:49PM

Registered Member #63 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:18AM
Location:
Posts: 1425

When girls see my stuff, I tell them I design kinky electric sex torture toys.

Alex

Mon Jun 18 2007, 01:23AM

Geometrically Frustrated
Registered Member #6 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 04:18AM
Location: Bowdoin, Maine
Posts: 373

I suppose that's one way to handle it..

I guess I've had it pretty easy. People may not always understand my motivation, but they've always expressed positive feelings about the things I do (as far as electronics/computers are concerned, anyway).

Nik

Mon Jun 18 2007, 02:27AM

Registered Member #53 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:31AM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 638

The guy next door allways looked a little nervous when I set up my 6inch coil in the back yard. He never asked if it was dangerous but he allways hid behind the screen door to watch.

Simon

Mon Jun 18 2007, 04:23AM

Registered Member #32 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 08:58AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 549

I had plenty of friends back at school but absolutely no one who could share my hobbies. When I got to university, I met a much more diverse bunch of people.

The Internet is great for people with minority hobbies.

Michael W.

Mon Jun 18 2007, 05:28AM

Registered Member #50 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:07AM
Location: Vernon, B.C, Canada
Posts: 324

I think the more cocky or elitist you become about your hobbies, like telling people to "never mind" when they inquire about what you like to do, the worse off you are. Its when they feel inferior, rumors are spread and people treat you badly. I found the best thing to do is to just dumb it down for their sake, they find it novel or cool then leave you alone from there....or watch with bated breath for something to explode....

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