this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2026
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:

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A strong work ethic at the office is considered good, while a strong work ethic at your hobby is considered bad. (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
17 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

The reason of course is money apparently defines what is "good".

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[–] bryndos@fedia.io 3 points 7 hours ago

Probably you have a difference in opinion on whether your hobbies are perceived as 'good'. I dunno: graffiti artist vs landscape artist.

Both can be dedicated, get highly proficient and be lauded by a sub-culture. Some people will see one as ethically 'bad' others won't.

Granted as soon as they get a banksy on their wall and it's worth money, most conservatives change their mind and sell it or charge admission. So there is a role for money to override peoples morality - but the dedicated graffitti artist can still be considered 'good' to their peers/gang/subculture even if it is worthless to others.

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

If I went to practice 5 days a week, I don't think anyone would complain. Except my old-ass body.

[–] ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Depends on the work and depends on the hobby. I'd rather have a lazy ICE agent than a motivated one. It's also better to put in more effort into not-for-profit activities like volunteering than in painting figurines or collecting Labubus, for instance, as the former is productive and edifying whilst the latter are not. Wouldn't say it's "bad", but certainly a bit of a waste of time at the very least. And hey, I play videogames, sometimes obsessively so, so it's not like I don't know what I'm talking about or I'm just being unfairly, hypocritically judgmental, it's just what it is.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 35 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Since when is a strong work ethic at your hobby considered bad?

[–] Janx@piefed.social 1 points 56 minutes ago* (last edited 55 minutes ago)

It's not. While you can find negative people that will look down on or judge absolutely anything, for the most part OP is imagining this, at least for the majority of people. Or maybe they are just surrounded by toxic people...?

[–] GandalftheBlack@feddit.org 1 points 4 hours ago

When someone makes works on a project for a long time and makes something really cool, you always get stuck-in-the-muds saying things like "Looks like someone has too much time on their hands"

[–] 69420@lemmy.world 15 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

Pulling an all-nighter to shave 3 seconds off your Super Mario speed-run doesn't pay the bills.

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 1 points 10 hours ago

Perhaps the problem is more that that is not a good hobby.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 7 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

I mean it doesn't pay the bills, but it does get you respect from other speed runners and from people who respect speed running.

It's also somewhat a matter of your specific hobby ... speed running video games is pretty niche and useless compared to most hobbies.

Like on one end of the spectrum, there are hobbies that help everyone, like volunteering, cleaning up or beautifying your community, helping friends and family and loved ones, or organizing community programs.

Everyone is going to respect the hell out of you for that, and it's pretty easy to see those translate to jobs if you needed them to.

Then there are hobbies that can be beneficial to you or to anyone, like hobbies where you create stuff (whether it's knitting, 3d printing, home renos, gardening, cooking, etc). These are much easier to use to help others, and to turn into side hustles if you want to.

Then there are hobbies that you like that create community and socialization, from playing team sports, to DnD groups, to parties, to multiplayer video games, to organizing dinners and events.

Then there are hobbies that primarily benefit you and benefit the community only indirectly (in the sense of you being a better or more capable person). This includes stuff like running, weight lifting, reading a book, etc.

Then there are hobbies that don't even really benefit you but you do anyways, like watching TV, scrolling social media, or getting slightly better at a pointless mechanical skill.

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Now compare how many people would consider a strong work ethic at the office bad to how many would consider spending a lot of time on DnD bad. The difference is massive. And don't just think US or Europe. Consider the whole world. It won't even be close.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Now compare how many people would consider a strong work ethic at the office bad to how many would consider spending a lot of time on DnD bad. The difference is massive.

I mean, again, no one is going to consider a hard work ethic at the office bad by default, because it pays for you and your family's food and shelter.

If you flip the incentives around, i.e. you got food and shelter for playing DND and nothing but socialization for being at the office, then people would consider a strong work ethic at the office equally bad.

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

I think you see what I am saying. Money (which pays for the food and shelter) determines the value.

[–] Hudell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 day ago

What do you consider a strong work ethic at your hobby?

[–] themurphy@lemmy.ml 9 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Dont agree at all. Everything you put work into and you're getting good at is impressive.

Most of the time, your hobby also learns you other skills, that can be used in different fields.

And most importantly, you are more happy.

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Think of how much the "train guy" gets made fun of for his super detailed scale model train set. Or the guys/gals that put a ton of energy and time into DnD. Both of those often involve a lot of math and planning. Which would normally be considered valuable skills, but spending time on those hobbies is generally (with exceptions of course) looked down on.

[–] themurphy@lemmy.ml 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, maybe you are right that "pop culture people" would look down on it because it's not mainstream.

I play DnD myself, so I guess I'm the wrong person to ask haha.

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 1 points 59 minutes ago

I am thinking more like figure the % of people who would look down on DnD time vs working late at the office. It's massively different. There are people who know better, but they are in the minority.