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New interests

Skids

Well-Known Member
Hello fellow Aspies. I'm looking for your sage wisdom again please as i know this is always the place to come for support and blunt advice if i am having any difficulties.

Firstly i am going to use the term 'special interest' quite a few times just to reference what i am referring to in text although i personally dislike the term and i'm aware many other aspies do too so apologies for this in advance.

I have a tendency to ramble on so i'll try and keep this as succinct as i can.

My 'special interest' (sorry!) since i was an 8 year old boy to now as a 42 year old man has been football or soccer to our American friends. It's consumed much of my life and i've travelled all over England and Wales following football and also reading about it at all levels through books, the internet and forums etc.

I've reached a crossroads whereby i have completely lost interest in the game and it's primarily because of people. Most people who run football clubs are selfish, greedy, ignorant and obnoxious and care nothing for their 'customers' (fans).

Most footballers are simply narcissistic twitter obsessed posers who never ever do what they are handsomely paid to do on a consistent basis.

A large minority of football fans at EVERY GAME i go to are foulmouth, obnoxious, uneducated, aggressive and moronic and do not care how their behaviour impacts on others.

Many football grounds are desperately ramshackle and with little or no facilities yet you have to still pay £20 or more to get in. Often when i go to a game i can't eat anything until i after the game as i have irritable bowel syndrome and i know the toilet facilities available to me will be inadequate.

Every club takes advantage of it's loyal fans and never gives anything back. Sunderland FC charge £50 for a home shirt which probably cost a couple of pounds to manufacture. Everything in the club shop is at vastly inflated prices simply because it has a club badge on it.

Yes i know nobody is forcing people to buy these things but it's the principle of doing the right thing by the supporters who loyally support the football club. Help them out now and then instead of fleecing them of money at every conceivable opportunity.

Clubs have fans travelling thousands of miles a season just to support their clubs and do the clubs ever help them by giving free tickets now and then to away supporters who are taking a day off work and spending loads of money on fuel? No!

The players who play at the very top level are 'earning' anything up to £500,000 PER WEEK! It's obscene and what is more obscene is that 99% of these players don't even break sweat most games. They are greedy, lazy and self obsessed.

For example. If i earned £250,000 a week i'd perhaps buy 100 replica shirts every game and chuck them out free to kids in the crowd. I'd have more money than i'd know what to do with and i'd think of others. I'd think of the fans who dedicate their lives to supporting me and my club. Nobody seems to do anything for others apart from the usual obligatory visits to the local hospital at Christmas. Footballers in the main really are a disgrace.

It's become a thoroughly shallow and hollow business.

My love of the beautiful game has turned sour over the last few years and i don't feel it represents me anymore as a decent, honest and humble human being.

I have accepted defeat and decided to turn my back on what was an overwhelmingly vital part of my existence for over 30 years. It's been an almighty difficult struggle to finally see things clearly and accept this decision.

It's not the game itself at fault but it's the people who run, play and follow the game that have lost sight of what is important. I want no more part of that.

The problem i have is that whenever i get interested in something the recurring issues i have are with people and their egotistical, self serving approach to everything.

I am wondering if anyone else out there has ditched a 'special interest' after so many years and i'm also looking for suggestions as to what my next 'special interest' could be as i need to move onto to something else.

I don't have any interest in computers or technology or tv shows, nor interest in mechanical things and engineering. I'm more a person who likes places like towns and cities, maps, history and castles old buildings etc, animals, geology and tourist attractions.

I'm planning to get a drum kit once i've got the money together and one other thing i've thought about is learning a language but i'm unsure if i have the ability.

I accept it's a pretty wide ranging open ended question but does anyone have any suggestions as to what could replace my football? Something i can get heavily involved in.

I'm pretty confused and low at the moment so anything would be considered!

Thanks all.
 
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I'm more a person who likes places like towns and cities, maps, history and castles old buildings etc, animals, geology and tourist attractions.
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You're a rambler!?! :D I can see you dedicating yourself to completing every long distance walking route from the Coast-to-Coast to Offa's Dyke and the Southwest coastal path. This would have everything you mentioned in the quote I snipped and could be as social or not as you like, and the people who do this appreciate the need for respect of their environment and other participants! :)
 
All the reasons you listed are the reasons why I have never been into football, or any other professional sport - waaayy too commercialised, basically they exist for the sponsers and megabucks that they earn from advertising and that's what it's all about, sport for money's sake and not sport for sport's sake.

In my experience, interests and hobbies choose me, I don't choose them. Perhaps wait and see what grabs you. You mentioned the possibility of learning a language - my 'special interests' in the past have been about learning languages. Which language are you interested in learning?
 
You're a rambler!?! :D I can see you dedicating yourself to completing every long distance walking route from the Coast-to-Coast to Offa's Dyke and the Southwest coastal path. This would have everything you mentioned in the quote I snipped and could be as social or not as you like, and the people who do this appreciate the need for respect of their environment and other participants! :)

Thanks Kyou Nukui. I'd love to do the South West coast path and i did a little of it when i was younger and healthier. I have Myalgic Encephamyelitis now which makes even getting out of bed difficult on some days so that's not an option for me anymore. I do like to get out when i can though and it's usually to places that aren't far from a car park. :D
 
All the reasons you listed are the reasons why I have never been into football, or any other professional sport - waaayy too commercialised, basically they exist for the sponsers and megabucks that they earn from advertising and that's what it's all about, sport for money's sake and not sport for sport's sake.

In my experience, interests and hobbies choose me, I don't choose them. Perhaps wait and see what grabs you. You mentioned the possibility of learning a language - my 'special interests' in the past have been about learning languages. Which language are you interested in learning?

Thanks Progster. You are absolutely spot on about sport and money. Sport isn't sport anymore. It's money. It wasn't so bad years ago but it's gotten ridiculous now.

I like Scandinavia so i'd like to learn Norwegian or Danish maybe. Icelandic also appeals.
 
I think if my special interest were poisoned by interference, I would go back to its pure form. I'd write about it and make videos about it and blog about. The history of it or the ethics of it or how it should be. I would never walk away.

Special interests often last a life time and much time, money, and effort can be poured into them. Once you are thousands of hours in, you are an expert -and the world needs your voice.
 
I think if my special interest were poisoned by interference, I would go back to its pure form. I'd write about it and make videos about it and blog about. The history of it or the ethics of it or how it should be. I would never walk away.

Special interests often last a life time and much time, money, and effort can be poured into them. Once you are thousands of hours in, you are an expert -and the world needs your voice.

Thank you TheFreeCat. Your post has made me do a lot of thinking.
 

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