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Frustrated with People's perception of HV hobbies.

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LAN_403

Mon Jun 18 2007, 05:35AM

Registered Member #809 Joined: Wed May 30 2007, 08:59AM
Location: Melbourne, victoria
Posts: 114

there is probably only about two or so people that are in my school that are truley interested in electronics/high voltage, and all the rest of the people that watch or see us, say something like "is it going to blow up" or "can i blow it up". i think this is the one thing other people think of when it comes to science, science=explosions. That really annoys me

...

Mon Jun 18 2007, 05:48AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I would agree with Mike W. on this one, there is a slight minuscule possibility of a chance that you might get someone interested in the hobby if you try to explain it to them, and if you do a decent job explaining it you have a decent chance at gaining the respect of Joe, compared to just brushing it aside and noting that 'you are too stupid to comprehend what I am meddling with...'

I have convinced a number of my friends to dig up an old computer and put Ubuntu on it, although I haven't managed to get anyone to buy a voltmeter (yet).

I might be biased in that I come into contact with an enormous amount of people (heck, my high school is 3500 people strong!) so I can choose to be friends with those who are at least somewhat interested in the sciences, but I find that even the people who spend more time thinking about their hair than how their cell phone works are genuinely intrigued when I explain what a THz spectrometer is, and what role I play in designing it.

Unfortunately, it is always the guys that truly show interest in what I do

J. Aaron Holmes

Mon Jun 18 2007, 06:06AM

Registered Member #477 Joined: Tue Jun 20 2006, 11:51PM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 546

My wife plays the role of the skeptic around here, but she knows it's what I enjoy doing and respects that much of it. Plus, the concerned look on her face when new transformers or other "ingredients" arrive, even if feigned, is one more thing that keeps me from getting complacent and toasting myself. It also helps to have a two-year-old daughter who you *know* would never forgive you for not coming back from a trip to the garage (not to mention that having a two-year-old somewhat reduces the number of opportunities one has to go and play in the garage!)

Avalanche

Mon Jun 18 2007, 10:39AM

Registered Member #103 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:16PM
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 845

I think most times it's best not to bring HV hobbies into conversation too quickly. It helps if you have other interests (eg. people ask me what I'm into and I just talk about my mountain biking and outdoors activities). Save the HV stuff until you can actually demonstrate it, don't try and describe it beforehand! If they show an interest, then you can go into more detail. That's my view, anyway.

It's going to be harder if you're still at school, you've just got to hang in there and accept that hobbies like this are rare, and 99% of people are not going to understand your motivation behind doing something that just looks to them like nothing but hard work and excitement over nothing. The slagging-off does eventually end! I wouldn't rule out the possibility of developing a few "socially acceptable" hobbies though to run in parallel with HV stuff.

Zonalklism

Mon Jun 18 2007, 01:59PM

Registered Member #213 Joined: Sun Feb 19 2006, 05:48PM
Location: Blythewood, SC
Posts: 39

Oh man, ya'll are right. However the worst, In my opinion, is when your teachers don't understand it and become wary of you. I made two simple pen shockers (those pens that when you go to click them they shock you) for me and a friend...When the teacher saw us messin' with them, she asked why we were shockin' people and called me sadistic! Why? Because I'm the one that made them! My teacher followed this with "You don't know that won't cause heart failure...or ya know...something like that." It ran off watch batteries! I (not my friend who had the other one) then proceeded to get 2 weeks of detention. And what teacher responded in this awful manner you ask? My science teacher!

"Unfortunately, it is always the guys that truly show interest in what I do" - ...

You're right unfortunately, it's the same here. Many times, girls will be turned off to me by my "geek" status...so lonely...

Marko

Mon Jun 18 2007, 03:20PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

Some of you guys may be missing my point. I don't care if I was not respected or understood, I would just be happy to be ignored.

It's the ill amount of vulgar discrimination I meet all the time, and not only in school.

When I first came here I wrote large amounts of BS and harassed people for dumb reasons, just to feel ''smarter''. I probably looked like an idiot to most of you. If I'm not any better now I at least hope I'm hiding it better.

I really don't want to be influenced by anyone anymore.

If you want to do something interesting, then do it and bugger what people think.

Stranger I am, I'm happier...

Zum Beispiel

Mon Jun 18 2007, 04:10PM

Registered Member #514 Joined: Sun Feb 11 2007, 12:27AM
Location: Somewhere in Pirkanmaa, Finland
Posts: 295

I've never really had much problems with people not understanding my hobbies... the only times I get strange looks is when i'm out getting parts. Because I'm a poor student I can't afford to buy parts, so I have to scavenge them from broken junk.

Just today I was at work with my dad and I saw a dumpster labeled "eletrical junk". Of course I had to take a look and it was filled with all sorts of cool stuff. I got a lot of strange looks as I jumped in and carried a bunch of old PSUs and other assorted junk to the car

.

I don't mind getting stared at if it saves some money.

Dr. Drone

Mon Jun 18 2007, 07:37PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

thedatastream

Tue Jun 19 2007, 06:49AM

Registered Member #505 Joined: Sun Nov 19 2006, 06:42PM
Location: Yorkshire!
Posts: 329

Christopher Miles Hooper wrote ...
When you are 20, you worry what people think, when you are 30 you do not care what people think, and when you are 40 you realize no one really cared what you thought in the first place

And when you are 50 you've forgotten what it was you were thinking about anyway... ;)

Wise words indeed, and you'll only appreciated them when you get older!

Bored Chemist

Tue Jun 19 2007, 05:11PM

Registered Member #193 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 07:04AM
Location: sheffield
Posts: 1022

when people ask me why I am, for example trying to build a fusion reactor in the cellar, I usuallly end up asking what they do. The commonest reply is that they watch a group of grown men in shorts running round in the rain chasing a ball. I explain that to them (they thought thet were watching football) and point out that "If it makes sense, it isn't a hobby". Most people seem to accept that.

The few who ask if I'm going to blow something up get told that
1 I'm going to be nearer to whatever it is than they are.
2 I know what I'm doing
3 I'm not suicidal.

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