The demise of manual hobbies

From: Lotus 14 <lotus_14us_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:25:25 -0000

I have flown indoor models, but the only thing close to competition that I have flown was a local event for indoor Peanuts, and a fun fly. So I am no expert in the art and science.
Indoor has, even in the great heyday of all flying models, been a very specialized and somewhat esoteric sport. It never got extensive coverage from the modeling press, and had the reputation of being a small group of eccentrics making tiny microfilm models that floated on a breath of air.
Building hobbies of any type are always having discussions about how to restore their hobby to its former glory. It seems in all the groups I'm in (everything from cars to indoor models) it happens at least once a year.
As much as I hate to say it, I think all forms of manual hobbies are a dying or dead pastime, and there is no sense in worrying about the future, as there is none. The fact that it is being practiced by a handful of people does not mean it is still viable. If you enjoy the process, though, it shouldn't make any difference.
I'm 68, and when I was a kid, growing up in a middle class suburban town, everybody's dad worked with their hands for a pastime. It might be building home additions or "ships in a bottle"; but with an extremely few regional exceptions it is all gone. Every now and then you will hear about a resurgence of some craft or hobby in the news, and the practitioners will all say, "See we told you, it is coming back." But usually the story will revolve around one, old, very dedicated, and for what ever reason charismatic, individual who has pulled the hobby up locally, but it will depend totally on him or her to keep it going.
My neighbors are all younger than I, and will come by my garage and marvel at "doing things with your hands." None of them has the slightest interest, except curiosity, and have no manual dexterity. They are all very nice people, but they literally cannot hold a screwdriver, and are amazed at those who can. I just read in the paper that the local schools are dropping physical education from the curriculum!!! True. If you read any study or theory of education you will see that people without manual dexterity, those who cannot throw or catch a ball, or ride a swing, do not have spatial skills, and therefore do poorly in science and math. They also cannot build models, so they buy them ready made from China. Just think some day there will be a group of people dreaming about the good old days when you had to use your thumbs to play games on your iPod.
Go on the internet and in Google Books, you will find issues of Popular Mechanics and Mechanics Illustrated, magazines from about the start of the 20th Century till their demise. If you search these magazines you will find all sorts of wood working hobbies making model ships, airplanes, furniture, trains, guns, circus animals, and crafts of all types.
You will see it end some time in the `60s or `70s, and virtually nothing after that. Now you cannot even find these old style handicraft and popular science magazines on the newsstand; except for very specialized expensive boutique editions. People no longer make anything, they buy it. Look at the RTF R/C models. There is hardly a kit to be had, except for the boutique kits with laser cut parts (because people don't know how to cut out their own). There are virtually no beginner level or starter kits that would interest a kid; assuming a kid would even go into a hobby shop. Look at the average age of the people you see in hobby shops these days, once those people are gone so will the hobby.
 I started with Strombecker, Comet, and Monogram kits in the late `40s, and I don't think there is anything like these kits that can be bought for the equivalent of under a dollar today. I loved airplanes and didn't want to do anything but fly as a kid. Living where I did in California, I could go outside and watch National Guard P-47s, and P-51s fly over and dream of the Flying Tigers; although their time was already gone too.
Look also at plastic models. Because of a combination of things a plastic kit that cost .29 cents in 1952 is now 25 dollars. The cost of raw plastic has gone up, but also the model companies are expecting such a limited number of sales they are amortizing the cost of production over fewer kits. This means the buyers are no longer tens of thousands of 12 year olds they are a few thousand 60 year olds. Very few kids have any interest in models. Look at all the ready built die cast models that have replaced kits; as I once said. "It's amazing what you can make with slave labor." ;-)
Received on Mon Oct 11 2010 - 11:26:23 CEST