Ive seen a few people talk about many hobbies as time wasted and I wanted to give my opinion on that ideology. More specifically I want to talk about time enjoyed that is seen as unproductive, like playing video games or watching movies. While I completely disagree with the idea these uses of time are unproductive, I will get to that later, but I want to address time enjoyed doing whatever you want firstly.
The biggest criticism I see from people is that the time you spend doing a hobby that benefits nobody, could be spent helping people or bettering yourself. This may be a noble pursuit, but the truth is people cant operate at 100% efficiency and most would not want to because they would burn out. The idea that the way you are using time is unproductive is mostly opinion based and shared from someone on the outside looking in. Even if you are staring at a wall for 60 minutes a day, if it gives you enjoyment, you might need that time to wind down and ready yourself for the next day.
Human beings need time where they arent working in order to live a happy life. Even our primal ancestors werent out hunting every second of the day, they still took time to relax. Im not trying to put down the idea of taking up new things and learning to better yourself, but it can be done in addition to the activities that give you joy. There is also such a thing as taking too much free time as well, I wont deny that. If you are doing nothing all day but playing video games, you should probably diversify your life a bit. However I would say that even playing video games 24/7 wouldnt be fun. The key is balance.
In regards to the activites that seem to get targeted the most, video games and television or movies, there is a lot to be gained from them. People often want to throw them into a basket of mindless activities, but the truth is some of the greatest story telling that has opened my brain and taught me to see different perspectives on life have come from video games and movies I have seen. There are some which arent made to enlighten, but I believe people want to experience things that inherently make them better and more rounded.
Overall I will say that if you are living a balanced life and you are providing for yourself, no one has the right to belittle your hobby or what you enjoy doing, especially if it aids your state of mind. Do things and learn things that make you a better person for sure, but the two arent mutually exclusive. You can learn new things while also unwinding with what you enjoy doing. Excess is the real problem here, not the hobbies themselves.
-Calaber24p