Defining a special interest

Post Reply New Topic

I am also kind of puzzled about the definition of "special interest". I have always been "very absorbed" by something that I couldn't really talk about because people wouldn't listen to me.

I usually have one at a time (or two, if they begin with some distance in time) that is very strong, but not extremely long (let's say 1 or 2 years). By very strong, I mean (whenever applicable):
- I think about it a great part of my day
- I talk about it (a lot)
- I read books about it
- I draw about it
- I write about it (blog, journal, fan-fiction, message boards, essays when I was in school, etc.)
- I listen to/play music/write lyrics related to it
- I watch related tv programs or movies
- I watch and/or make videos about it
- I buy gadgets or browse endlessly through electronic shops
- I participate to events
- I do a LOT of research about it
- Doing all of the above makes me very happy and energetic (sometimes so much that I keep doing them for hours, until I'm completely finished with my deed, or I have to force myself to go to bed even though I am everything but tired).

Right now, Asperger's has become my "very strong interest". It is "competing" with Doctor Who, which has permeated my life since January 2011. I'd say I dedicate about 90% of my "available mind" time to Asperger's, and 10% to Doctor Who.

I also have one "lifelong-persistent" interest, which is less acute, but I am sort of "inevitably drawn" to it. Pretty much everything I engage in, and I "prefer" somehow, can be related to it. It is socio-cultural anthropology.
I can provide examples:
- in things like History, Art, Architecture, Music, Geography, Literature, my attention (and memory) is drawn only to the socio-cultural side, and in particular that of ordinary people; conversely, I can never remember names of people and places, dates, events, titles, so I likely pass as ignorant; I think it could be due to my endless curiosity about "WHY people do things", which I can't really pick up by instinct;
- now I am majoring in International Business and I could talk forever about cultural influences on team dynamics;
- I observe pretty much everything around me (even things I couldn't care less, like fashion) by comparing socio-cultural frameworks.

So yeah, that's my 2 cents. Idk if they are "special interests" or not. I'd like to know

Yup. ^^

I don't have a single special interest, but I do become obsessed with certain things, the obsession will take up all my spare time for a period that can be anything from days to months, then one day I will wake up and be over it.

I do have a special affinity for fantasy/sci fi worlds, at least once a year I will get sucked in a new one, the last was George RR Martin's, I spent every minute I could with my nose in his books for a couple of weeks, got half way through book four then couldn't be bothered any more, the obsession passed.