We are doomed: railfanning not deemed attractive by women

[Densha]

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/10/10/looking-for-a-new-hobby-find-out-how-attractive-your-new-pastime-will-be-to-japanese-women/

[Guest keio6000]

so japanese women are into men who do interior design.  the country is doomed.

 

as somebody who lived in japan for years and has grown up with japan a bit differently than many foreign arrivistes do, i'm used to rolling my eyes at much of the prescriptive, paternalistic nonsense that foreigners often spew in attempt to 'fix' or 'rationalize' the country.

 

however, if i were to break that particular wall and spew some of my own, i'd comment loudly and widely about how japanese male-female relationships are badly, badly broken.  this is overwhelmingly the fault of the men who (again, i'm painting with an exceptionally wide brush here) haven't the first clue about being a good partner and the women who have resigned themselves to substitutes for romance.  of course, not all of japan is the dead-eyed emptiness of shibuya-akihabara-ikebukuro consumerist youth culture, but for me the overall sexual/relational disfunction of japan is japan's major issue beyond even its demographic implications (which are probably well known to many here already).   you know what japan needs in a big way?  dating and romantic love.  when was the last time you saw japanese in a healthy romantic relationship or even a truly mutually supportive one?
 

sure, there are cases, but they are the extreme exception in japan.

[katoftw]

Is anyone reading surprized?  Male and female hobbies have always been vastly different.  Continue life as normal.

 

Hobbies take male money and time away from the female.  Females always hate male hobbies for this reason.

Edited October 10, 2014 by katoftw

[Sean]

LOL, much to my shame I have to admit that for a period from my late-teens to mid-twenties I completely abandoned model railroading (and some other casual hobbies that women don`t find attractive like my stamp collection, etc) pretty much exactly for that reason.  It was only after I had succesfully found the love of my life and married her that I felt secure enough to re-enter the world of model railroading and all those other hobbies that I actually like but women don`t find attractive.

[Densha]

The whole article is intended as a bit of a joke of course. But yeah no surprise whatsoever.

[bikkuri bahn]

you know what japan needs in a big way?  dating and romantic love.

 

Wow, and I thought all those couples I see on the weekends in any city holding hands in the park, laughing while shopping, eating out, etc. together, and generally having fun in each other's company were doing it for real.  I guess they were just acting...

 

As for railfanning, guess what, it's an unattractive pasttime among women anywhere in the world.  And observing the types of males doing it (in general of course) I can't blame the ladies either.  If your "significant other" tolerates the hobby (or even encourages it), she's a keeper- mine is!

Edited October 11, 2014 by bikkuri bahn

[marknewton]

bb, I'm not sure that I fully agree with your statement. When I first met my wife she was working at Port Kembla loco as a fitter, and in her own time she was a volunteer crew member on the tourist train we ran out of there. She's steam qualified, too.    My daughter has followed in the family tradition, too. She's recently qualified as a driver trainer, which makes me very proud.

 

Perhaps you could make a distinction between active involvement in preservation and simply railfanning. There was always fairly even split of men and women involved in running the heritage trains out of Eveleigh, which I think made the whole place much more civilised than if it was just a bunch of unwashed blokes playing trains. The two train managers we had at Port and Eveleigh were both very capable ladies who did a great job. The same goes for our carriage attendants and the buffet crews. 

 

The tramway museum I work at also has a number of women actively involved in restoration work and operations. And I know that other heritage railways here, such as the RTM, Zig Zag and Puffing Billy, have women playing active roles on the maintenance and operations side. Perhaps it's an Australian thing? Whatever the reason, I reckon it's great.

 

But I absolutely agree with your last point!  :)

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[E6系]

You see female shinkansen drivers and guards every day.  I'll bet they have a closet full of ralfan gear.

[Martijn Meerts]

I'm not deemed attractive by women regardless of my hobbies, so yeah ;)

[Mudkip Orange]

I consider this a positive.

 

Hobbies which are deemed attractive by women - guitar, bodybuilding, motorcycling - these tend to attract a certain percentage of men who are doing it primarily to increase their marketability to the womenfolk. As shorthand let us call these individuals "douchebags." The presence of the douchebags, in turn, leads to a larger amount of posturing and status competition than would otherwise be present. Said status competition then reduces one's enjoyment of the activity.

 

Now, this is not to disdain those other hobbies. I am a reasonably competent DJ and I try to hit the gym, etc. But trains have always seemed more "pure"; I'm doing it because I like it, not as a means to score.

[Ochanomizu]

I consider this a positive.

 

Hobbies which are deemed attractive by women - guitar, bodybuilding, motorcycling - these tend to attract a certain percentage of men who are doing it primarily to increase their marketability to the womenfolk. As shorthand let us call these individuals "douchebags." The presence of the douchebags, in turn, leads to a larger amount of posturing and status competition than would otherwise be present. Said status competition then reduces one's enjoyment of the activity.

 

Now, this is not to disdain those other hobbies. I am a reasonably competent DJ and I try to hit the gym, etc. But trains have always seemed more "pure"; I'm doing it because I like it, not as a means to score.

 

Hello Mr Mudkip,

 

So sorry, but I find the full-page images in your footer quite annoying.  If you insist on using the forum as a political platform, is there any chance of using a thumbnail instead?

[Keikyu]

It's true, my girlfriend hates trains. As well as most things revolving around me.

[katoftw]

Today I was riding the Yamanote Line in the clock wise direction from Ikebakuro to Tokyo.  And a 16-18yo female got on.  Walked up to the window behind the driver and started filming on there iPhone for about 5 stations. 

Edited October 19, 2014 by katoftw

[Mudkip Orange]

Did you get her number?

[cteno4]

I think his wife might have smacked him upside the head if he tried...

 

Jeff

[Davo Dentetsu]

I think I should sue you for damages caused.  I haven't run a bloody train since this was posted!

[katoftw]

I think his wife might have smacked him upside the head if he tried...

 

Jeff

Confirmed.

[lurkingknight]

When I was in school for animation, I had 2 roommates that were studying interior design. one was a girl, the other was a guy. He was the only straight guy out of the 10 or so guys in their program. The rest were women.

[Densha]

Don't leave us hanging like that, lurkingknight!

[marknewton]

So that one straight bloke had the pick of the litter, eh? What a clever fellow! 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Martijn Meerts]

I should've studied interior design apparently ;)

[Richard W]

Don't know anything about Japanese women's inclinations, but I have finally become unsurprised by all the women who are fascinated by my train layout - much more so than my male friends!  However, I do concur that women (at least in the US) just roll their eyes when it comes to their husband's hobbies unless of course it involves cabinetry or plumbing.  Perhaps they're jealous that the husband can take time to get away from it all.  LOL