How do you deal with haters of this hobby?

[hydrobud]

I had this annoying incident where my cousins (in their late teens or early 20's I think) came to visit and months later I heard that they were gossiping on what an immature person I am because I collect "toys." They occasionally come visit now and then but they now avoid my room/office like the plague.

These kids represents exactly why I'm quite picky to allow people in my room/office, sometimes they have a negative opinion of their own, and can't seem to say it to your face.

Another annoyance is on rare occasions I'd reconnect with old acquaintances, invite them over and you can see the disgusted look they make when they enter the room.

Mind you, I'd like to say I own a VERY small collection, a handful of 1/6 figures, some Mcfarlanes & Neca, Transformers, Marvel/DC stuff etc (I'm not a fan of anime, so no Japanese figures) and they are all very neatly displayed because I'm a neat freak, and my house is extremely clean. If I showed some of the collections of the members here, I'm sure these haters will get a heart attack for sure.

I'm not angry or venting here, rather, I do feel sad for people who are totally insensitive by dismissing other people's hobby entirely. I never get angry at these people, in fact, my friend told me to quit this hobby and "grow up" but I casually reminded him that I earn 3 times what he & his wife makes in a month and that seemed to shut him up.

So do you guys have similar experience? How do you guys deal with it? Do share!

F em ! The same cousins will most likely fall to peer pressure and think nothing of spending 150 bucks on an eight ball then have nothing but guilt to show for it afterwards then repeat their mis step.So , F em !

 

[cameosis]

there are haters of this hobby?! :shock:
do what you do, let the others do the talking.

it's good to have a backup collection, just in case -- i used to host a radio show and dj occasionally, so at home i have 5,000 records and counting ... that's normally a wonderful start for chit-chat about collecting in general.

 

[hydrobud]

a record collection hobby is not looked upon negatively the way this hobby is . most people cant understand pop culture . like I said before F em !

 

[The Ween]

You do what you do with any hater. You tell them like it is and if they don't shut up, you just ignore them. Don't waste your time or energy on them anymore.

 

[azurepred]

I had this annoying incident where my cousins (in their late teens or early 20's I think) came to visit and months later I heard that they were gossiping on what an immature person I am because I collect "toys." They occasionally come visit now and then but they now avoid my room/office like the plague.

These kids represents exactly why I'm quite picky to allow people in my room/office, sometimes they have a negative opinion of their own, and can't seem to say it to your face.

Another annoyance is on rare occasions I'd reconnect with old acquaintances, invite them over and you can see the disgusted look they make when they enter the room.

Mind you, I'd like to say I own a VERY small collection, a handful of 1/6 figures, some Mcfarlanes & Neca, Transformers, Marvel/DC stuff etc (I'm not a fan of anime, so no Japanese figures) and they are all very neatly displayed because I'm a neat freak, and my house is extremely clean. If I showed some of the collections of the members here, I'm sure these haters will get a heart attack for sure.

I'm not angry or venting here, rather, I do feel sad for people who are totally insensitive by dismissing other people's hobby entirely. I never get angry at these people, in fact, my friend told me to quit this hobby and "grow up" but I casually reminded him that I earn 3 times what he & his wife makes in a month and that seemed to shut him up.

So do you guys have similar experience? How do you guys deal with it? Do share!

I have cousins in their mid 20s too, but honestly, I've never had anyone that has actually seen my collection in person say anything negative about it. They get kind of floored by it though, their mouths usually drop.

 

[604comics]

To be honest, my parents look at what I have accumulated, and don't understand too much of it. But they do understand it's a hobby; which is something a lot of people lack in having these days from personal experience. My mother understands a bit more than my father, only because she is a fellow collector too. Though I think her hobby in collecting hand crafted/painted dishes from Portugal is pretty lame. I still appreciate that she enjoys the hobby of collecting, even though its something that doesn't interest me what so ever. When it comes to my friends I think they're just more irritated than anything else, solely because all I talk about is my 1/6th collection. Well, to a certain degree. Some of them even ask to look at some of your collections on this forum, and the customs being made. But there are some friends that are oblivious to the fact I am in this hobby, not because I feel I will be ridiculed, but because I'd rather show them when I have my whole collection displayed. Because i know they will appreciate it. Now when it comes to dating women, they really can't grasp the concept. Or they just don't care. But they all say the same thing in so many words: "At least you spend your money on something you're passionate about." Mind you, I sometimes I never hear from them again.

So Ryan, I really don't give a rat's ass about what others think. All I know is, when I get home, and want to just go through and awe at my collection I can. And the best part is, I can come on here and discuss it with all of you. Especially when I can come on here to just enjoy with what the community has to offer.

Ps awesome little collection you got there, really nicely displayed

I think the key here is passion. As long as you're passionate about what you're doing, then that's the most important part. If you're passionate, you will hear criticism but you'll also be able rebute and articulate why you collect. If you're passionate, you want to ensure you aren't just collecting, but you're also putting in the same resources to ensure your collection is properly displayed and maintained. If you're passionate, then you will get the same satisfaction out of seeing your collectibles every day as you did the very first day when you cracked open that box and held that collectible in your hand for the first time.

I've got my tiny, tiny collection of just 6 pieces sitting in a double Besta in my living room and I think it looks amazing. I've had people come over and not say anything about it, I've had people come over and ask what's that, but I've never had anyone make fun of me or my collection. It's all about surrounding yourself with true friends that don't judge. And all the chicks that come over just seem to love my Emma Frost LSB. Figure that one out!

 

[Irvy]

Give them a suplex through a detolf cabinet that usually works wonders

 

[DPrime]

The only real "hater" I have to deal with is my sister-in-law, but it doesn't bother me a great deal. She's got some pretty odd hobbies herself, like (bordering on extreme) couponing, way too much time on Facebook and Settlers of Cataan and reading Twilight books... so yeah, I can pull the geek card on her too, if I so desire!

For the most part, my friends think it's pretty cool. Most of my stuff is vintage GI Joe, so it's the stuff they grew up with too, and can appreciate it.

 

[former member DFtM]

Here is my thought, and this isn't directed at anyone here in particular, it's actually directed to myself and how I cope with anyone judging me for my collection: I knew what I was getting into when I started collecting.

I'm fully aware there is a stigma attached to it. If I can't handle it, then it's time to get out. Simple as that. No one forced me to collect, I do it because I truly enjoy collecting. And when I lose that passion or I can't take the heat then it's time to move on. That's how I deal. Until then, **** 'em...

Good luck..it's not an easy hobby...

Brilliant post. Thanks. That helps me.


---
Sent from a hungry monkey's iPad

 

[karamazov80]

I say kill them. . .with kindness.

That is to say, you can stab them with a sharp Hello Kitty ear, or smother them with Care Bear stuffing.

Yeah, Nam's collection is pretty impressive.

 

[Snakey Jones]

I have found there are more haters inside the hobby than outside.

Sometimes i feel nerds are their own worse enemy, i've never met a non-collector who dissed my stuff, but some of the people i've met on toy-collector sites...

 

[WurstCollector]

I think the key here is passion. As long as you're passionate about what you're doing, then that's the most important part. If you're passionate, you will hear criticism but you'll also be able rebute and articulate why you collect. If you're passionate, you want to ensure you aren't just collecting, but you're also putting in the same resources to ensure your collection is properly displayed and maintained. If you're passionate, then you will get the same satisfaction out of seeing your collectibles every day as you did the very first day when you cracked open that box and held that collectible in your hand for the first time.

I've got my tiny, tiny collection of just 6 pieces sitting in a double Besta in my living room and I think it looks amazing. I've had people come over and not say anything about it, I've had people come over and ask what's that, but I've never had anyone make fun of me or my collection. It's all about surrounding yourself with true friends that don't judge. And all the chicks that come over just seem to love my Emma Frost LSB. Figure that one out!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[DiFabio]

I think the key here is passion. As long as you're passionate about what you're doing, then that's the most important part. If you're passionate, you will hear criticism but you'll also be able rebute and articulate why.

Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Adolf Hitler, Stalin and others were pretty passionate about their hobbies too . . .

 

[604comics]

Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Adolf Hitler, Stalin and others were pretty passionate about their hobbies too . . .

They killed their haters. A little extreme, if you ask me.

 

[masamune]

I don't care who knows I collect 1/6 figures, they are out for everyone to see...If anything embarrasses me, it's the price of these figures. If you had told me three years ago (i believe that is when I start collecting...it was right around the time the first T2 came up for pre-order) I would be spending 300 for a figure I would have called you crazy....2012 and the DX13 Terminator 300....I hope Hot Toys do not do anymore figures from The Terminator universe, or the Blade Universe so that I can leave this hobby in peace (those are my two weakness)...it's not the hater that's driving me out of the hobby it's the insane prices....

 

[cokebabies]

Sometimes i feel nerds are their own worse enemy, i've never met a non-collector who dissed my stuff, but some of the people i've met on toy-collector sites...

Very true in many cases.

Average person who saw the DX01 in my office: "Oh man, that's awesome!"

Poster on SSF: "Socks are wrong, googly eyes, shoes look weird, jacket is the wrong shade..."

 

[edonian]

Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Adolf Hitler, Stalin and others were pretty passionate about their hobbies too . . .

This made me LOL.

I too get the side eye from people, except for my mother and two older brothers. But I really don't care about what people think about my toy collecting. Life is too short to care about what others think. If you enjoy it that's all what matters... and that goes for anything. Oh and as long as you're not harming anyone else.

 

[RagingBull]

I actually sold of a lot of my collection over the past year because I needed the money unfortunately but anyways I had a party a few months back for my little boy & a group of my mates wanted to see what new figures I'd bought. When I told them I'd sold them of they were gutted, they loved seeing them. Made me feel gutted that I had to let them all go but for my Preds but I had no choice but I will start up again. This time I'll just wait & buy characters which mean a lot to me in 1/4 scale.

 

[thenammagazine]

Yeah, Nam's collection is pretty impressive.

The one of your mom was in the bedroom during that pic though.

 

[KneelBeforrSmallville]

Are your cousins fans of comics? Games, Movies!? ART in General!? I know these things arent for everyone but alot of my friends enjoy movies and pop culture stuff, its all becoming so mainstream its hard to find people who dont enjoy it, but theres always going to be those people.

If you have a small, contained, nicely set up collection its all good, im shure theres people that will think its awesome.

Haters Gon Hate!