11 Hobbies That Make People Think You're Pretentious, Even If They'd Never Admit It
Some interests give people the idea that you think you're superior, even if that's not what you intended at all.
AYO Production | Shutterstock We all have hobbies that we enjoy participating in when we have the time to do so. We don’t typically think about other people judging us for those hobbies, unless we’re worried they would come off as lame. But if you think about it, people tend to be pretty critical by nature, and it would be easy to see someone doing something that they simply enjoy and think they’re pretentious because of it.
Psychologist Dana Harron argued that when people judge you, it’s actually all about them, not you. “If you are the ‘better person’ in a given scenario, you don’t have to worry that you might be the ‘worse’ one. You don’t have to reckon with potential feelings of inferiority, shame, and generally not being good enough.” Though there are certain hobbies that make people think you’re pretentious, even if they’d never admit it, it’s quite possible that it’s just a reflection of that person’s own feelings and not what they really think of you.
Here are 11 hobbies that make people think you’re pretentious, even if they’d never admit it
1. Meditation
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In some ways, it makes sense that reaching a state of greater spiritual enlightenment would rub some people the wrong way. It's a good thing for the person doing it, but the minute you start to talk about meditation, people who have never really gotten into it are bound to feel like you're flexing your spiritual superiority and showing off how disciplined you are. Of course, they would never actually say that, but it wouldn't change the fact that they would feel that way.
Unfortunately for the people who get judgmental about meditation, it actually has major benefits. According to health writers Dr. Matthew Thorpe and Rachael Ajmera, practicing meditation does more than just improve your mental health. It can also lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep, slow memory loss, help you concentrate, and even make you kinder (which may be helpful when encountering said judgy people).
Meditation can really help a person in a lot of different ways. So, if you're into it, don't let the worry that people may be silently judging you deter you from continuing your practice. The people who think meditators are pretentious are just missing out on the advantages of taking a few moments to slow down, breathe, and notice.
2. Traveling
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Traveling is one of the hobbies that make people think you're pretentious, even if they'd never admit it, because it's really something that only people who can afford it are able to do. Of course, being a traveler doesn't mean you have to traverse the globe. Taking a road trip to a new-to-you destination can be just as rewarding.
It's easy to understand why some people think of travel as a pretentious hobby, though. It comes with the assumption that the traveler is financially comfortable and that their travels have given them a lot of knowledge. Those are things that would make it easy for someone to think a traveler is acting superior, even though they're just doing what they love.
Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky explained, "Foreign experiences both increase cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms. The key, critical process is multicultural engagement, immersion, and adaptation." So, travelers receive a big boost from experiencing different countries and cultures.
It would be easy to assume that travelers are just shallow and rich, throwing their money around at different destinations to get the best photos for Instagram. But people who travel actually get a rich cultural experience from the different places they visit. People who feel like travelers are morally superior are missing out on learning from them.
3. Gaming
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Everyone knows at least one person who is obsessed with gaming in some form. Although they might never own up to it, this makes some people judge others as being pretentious. Gamers are known for being pretty dedicated and devoted, and there's a lot of competition within the hobby.
For some people, it's really become more than a hobby and turned into a side hustle or even a full-blown career. Some people take this as gamers acting elitist, or at least acting like there's some elite hierarchy within the community.
Although a lot of people think gaming is just a waste of time, there are benefits for your brain. A study published in JAMA Network Open examined the brain functions of 2,000 children. Researchers discovered that kids who played video games for at least three hours a day had better cognitive functioning, memory, and attention.
So, before you completely write off gaming, it's good to acknowledge that there are some ways for it to improve the brain health of those who participate. People may question spending so much time in front of a screen competing against people who are often strangers, but there are advantages. Just because someone is a gamer, that doesn't mean they're automatically pretentious.
4. Music
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Some people really love listening to music. Collecting records, going to concerts, discovering new artists — it's all part of a hobby to them. Unfortunately, it's easy to come off as a bit of a snob when you're really into music.
You think your taste is superior, and you look down on people who have different listening habits. It's easy to understand how that could come off as pretentious and people could find themselves easily judging it.
According to mental health educator Rebecca Joy Stanborough, listening to music has a lot of benefits. "Music exerts a powerful influence on human beings," she stated. "It can boost memory, build task endurance, lighten your mood, reduce anxiety and depression, stave off fatigue, improve your response to pain, and help you work out more effectively."
Most people would say they enjoy listening to music at least sometimes, but true aficionados go beyond just playing some tunes while they're getting ready or working out. It's a whole subculture to them.
So, while they're certainly receiving these benefits, their love runs deeper. Some people think it runs too deep and get a little bit judgmental about it. It's always best to remember that everyone has something that they love, though, and there's nothing wrong with that.
5. Collecting shoes
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Collecting shoes is a pretty niche hobby, but it's growing in popularity. And, no, this isn't just your aunt collecting an outrageous amount of heels in every color. Both women and men are getting in on shoe collecting now, and much of it centers around sneakers.
People are spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a single pair of designer sneakers. The crazy thing is those shoes don't get worn often. If they were worn, they might get scuffed or dirty.
When you look at it like that, it makes sense that some people might find shoe collecting a little pretentious. Why would you spend that much money on something that's just going to collect dust on a shelf?
But previous generations' versions of collecting, like stamps or coins, were never used either. That's the point of collecting. What's obnoxious to one person is fun to another, and we've really just got to accept that.
6. Yoga
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Much like meditation, people who do yoga, or "yogis," tend to think they've reached a higher level of spiritual enlightenment. Or, at the very least, they think they're more flexible and can do a better downward dog, which is probably true.
But yoga can become one of the hobbies that make people think you're pretentious, even if they'd never admit it. And people who don't do yoga tend to find this pretentious because yogis are a part of the growing obsession with wellness and self-care. Some people don't have the time or energy to put into this, and others just think it's ridiculous.
Since it is a form of exercise, it's no surprise that yoga has many benefits. Cultural and political journalist Anisha Mansuri pointed out some of those as improving mental health by decreasing anxiety and depression, giving you stronger immunity, making you stronger, improving the functioning of your heart, and helping you develop better balance and flexibility.
It's easy to look at yogis and see them as being so wrapped up in wellness practices that they must think they're superior. However, most people who do yoga are just trying to better their health, both physically and mentally. There's nothing wrong with that, and there's no reason to judge them because of it.
7. Writing
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Some people do find writers to be pretentious. It seems like every writer believes they're the next Shakespeare. What's more, everyone thinks they can be a writer now. Technically, there are no rules to writing, so this is true, but that doesn't mean everyone has a talent for it or will get published. (Or, if they self-publish, will be read.)
And, because everyone wants to write a book now, the people who are really serious about it have a bad reputation as acting superior when they're just trying to do what they love.
M. Cecil Smith, an associate dean at West Virginia University, said, "Writing is a significant literary activity in modern life that enables individuals to accomplish a variety of personal, intellectual, occupational, and recreational goals. It has been demonstrated, across a variety of investigations, that writing activities yield a number of intellectual, physiological, and emotional benefits to individuals. These benefits include [improved] memory function, decreased symptomatology, and greater feelings of happiness."
Not every writer is going to be the next Stephen King, but writing does have a lot of advantages for your brain and emotions. It may be hard to take someone seriously when it's obvious their talents aren't quite as good as they believe they are, but that doesn't mean you should automatically assume writers are pretentious or annoying. To each their own, right?
8. Cycling
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Cycling is yet another of the wellness hobbies that make people think you're pretentious, even if they'd never admit it. Cyclists tend to travel in packs, and could even be considered clique-ish.
Whether they're actually riding bicycles around town or just taking cycling classes at the local gym, there's a good chance their groups will seem exclusionary and exclusive. The general assumption is that they are obsessed with health and fitness and only like others who feel the same way. Some people may find this to be superior thinking from them.
It's no shock that cycling comes with plenty of health benefits. Australia's Better Health Channel listed some of them as better heart health, stronger bones and joints, greater strength and flexibility, and lower levels of depression and anxiety. As they noted, "Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to older adults. It is also fun, cheap, and good for the environment."
There's nothing wrong with enjoying cycling as a hobby. Some people may feel you're pretentious because you're preoccupied with your health and very focused on the hobby, but it's a great way to become a healthier version of yourself. Don't let the naysayers hold you back from doing what you like and spending your time the way that you want to.
9. Coffee
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It may seem strange to call coffee a hobby, but think of those people you know who know every little fact about coffee. And they can never just order a simple coffee. Instead, it's some grande Americano oat milk concoction that you couldn't explain if you tried.
They make their own coffee at home, and when they go to a coffee shop, they make sure everyone knows what an expert they are. It would be easy to find this pretentious, even if you remain tight-lipped about it.
The thing is, we're all enthusiasts about some kind of food or drink if you think about it. Maybe you really love classic Southern food, or you know all there is to know about wine. You may not feel like you're on quite the same level as your coffee connoisseur friends, but there's still something you love that you consume.
To those connoisseurs, coffee is no different. It's not just a cup of joe that gives them a boost in the morning. Instead, it's something to be savored and delighted in. Pretentious? Maybe. But, also perfectly fine.
10. Crypto
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Getting involved in cryptocurrency is a relatively new hobby, but it's one that has taken the world by storm. It's not just the typical tech bros who are investing in, trading, and doing whatever else it is you do with crypto. It's expanded to all people, regardless of age or gender.
It's not surprising that some people think of it as pretentious, though. It feels like one of those new get-rick-quick fads that will inevitably leave everyone involved broke in a few years. And, quite honestly, people who buy crypto do have a tendency to seem a bit annoying.
Crypto is all they talk about, but to most people, it sounds like a foreign language. Crypto also involves a lot of bragging as people share their latest wins and successes. It just all seems a little... off somehow. Still, it's something that some people enjoy, and it's not hurting anyone, so why should others judge them for it?
11. Waking up early
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Some may not consider waking up early to be a hobby, but more a routine, or even a choice. Still, an entire culture has formed around waking up early. People brag about waking up at 5 a.m. to fit in an elaborate morning routine before their day starts.
Some people simply don't have the ability to wake up so early, so it makes sense that they might find people who do to be pretentious. It's like they're rubbing their early morning productivity in everyone else's faces.
While night owls will hate to hear this, there are some serious benefits to waking up early. As health and wellness writer Adrienne Santos-Longhurst said, "Waking up early has several benefits, including giving you more time in the morning, reducing your risk of chronic conditions, and enhancing concentration." It may be annoying to watch people wake up at the literal crack of dawn, but it seems like they're on to something.
Waking up early really wouldn't be that bad of a hobby if the trendy wellness culture didn't revolve around it now. There are posts on every social media app about how you can wake up earlier, or ones that allow you to follow along with other people's early morning routines.
It's just so all-consuming, and it's become a bit over-the-top. That doesn't stop people from reaping the benefits of waking up early, though.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
