Could you explain why you have a passion for your interests?

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So I recently watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeLmZSEWvcg and realized that, actually, if we attempted to detail exactly *why* we love what we love, perhaps people could understand that interest more.

I could explain mine but I'm sure you'd like to have your say.

For me, the hard part is to stop explaining why I like the things I do!

Same.

I'm looking at a Stephen Hawking episode now where he's asking the question: do we choose our special interests or do our special interests choose us? Sometimes I wonder: am I destined to be a musician and writer? I've walked away from both to attempt a 'normal' life. I failed. It's like I was fighting against fate. I get way too suicidal when I move away from my special interests. I'm no good at anything else but music and writing. I think those passions chose me, so I don't ask "why" anymore. I ask "how."

My interests evolve rather strangely. Sometimes it is a more specific offshoot of a mainstream special interest, e.g. Asperger's - then researching Williams Syndrome or something like it. In another case, it evolved from realizing that a small group of people cared a lot about it. Actually, this was how the Asperger's special interest evolved. There was group discussion on whether someone was an Aspie or not, then i was like hmmmm maybe I'm an Aspie. It led to wondering if others are Aspies. There was something positive about being an Aspie, at least in terms of having something on common with others on the spectrum - even though having Asperger's has a huge amount of challenges. I knew that a small group of people cared immensely about Asperger's.

This may be similar to NTs' peculiar obsession with earning power, status symbols, keeping up with Joneses, etc. They want to be part of whatever the status climb or rage is, and they know others are extremely conscious of the same thing. It is infectious. (This is not to deny that Aspies have similar concerns at one time or another)

Can I ever relate.

I almost have it pinned down. 1st grade, I was drawing a picture of a bluejay & the cutest girl in class made a very kind fuss. 2 obsessions set right there. Easy success with writing poetry, 8th grade on, was another. Funny, "society" sort of encouraged me.

That said, here I am, age 52 and let me tell you, the life of a musician and / or writer is a curse. Cost me 2 marriages, 2 homes, 2 children.

Of course you have more talent and you'll do better.

That's what we all say.

Because it's awesome.
No other explanation needed. I do it for myself, not as a means to connect with others.

The same thing applies to me, as well.

I have nothing else to do.

I don't know why I like my special interests so much. They are just things I can do that actually excite me. For my biggest special interest, music, I don't know how to explain my interest in it. It's something that comes completely naturally, and something I'm pretty much always doing, and something I've been doing pretty much my entire life. If I'm not doing something relating to my special interests, I feel bored, and like I am wasting my time completely.

It gets in the way of life, too - I usually decline invites to do things with friends when it has nothing to do with music and I wouldn't be able to sit there and play something while we hang out. Same with doing things with family. I get all antsy, on edge and irritable, as well as extremely bored, when doing something like watching a movie, unless I'm able/allowed to watch it with an instrument with me - which I find fun, because I play along with all the music in the movie and so on - but without it it is just a chore to me to do something like watch a movie.

I can't seem to keep non-musician friends because they keep wanting to do non-music stuff.

I guess that I grew up hearing a lot of oldies, so I became partial to the 1960s and a certain band that recorded songs about London and England.

Before I used to spend long minutes in confusing explanations as to why I had such and such interest, now I'm more like "deal with it".

Because when I am doing creative stuff (art, music, writing) I feel like a real person, my real self, relaxed and extremely happy and thankful and interested. Also, I can concentrate really well then, which I have trouble with when I am trying to do non-creative work.

I know why I have my creative interests, they let me express myself and bring joy to myself and others. And other interests I have give me a greater understanding of the world. However for the life of me don't know why in my early thirties I suddenly started identifying and photographing every new type of spider I see. I know why I started, my son was getting some bites and I wanted to know what exactly was doing it but I've long since figured that problem out but I still look for spiders. I post them all on Facebook and don't care what others think ... the only person I know of who loves my spider album is my cousin's son who ironically has classic autism.

I am not sure why I like mine so much over the years. They just come to me. I don't really pick them if you know what I mean. I can explain why I liked some liked why I liked Spokane so much or London. They evolved from my movie obsessions.

That is like asking me why do I like to watch The Simpsons. Uh because I like the show? That is like asking me why do I find Bart's prank calls funny and my favorite. Uh because I like funny names? Why do I like funny name? I don't know, because I find them funny? Why do I find them funny? I don't know.

So how do I explain my passion for my interests?

I've always been obsessed with fictional characters from various shows (usually animated) and movies, ever since I was a toddler. I love these characters so much that they almost become like a second family to me. I have mock "conversations" with them, regarding them as a kind of imaginary friend.

Why? I suspect that it's because I've always felt disconnected from real people. Not to mention that the vast majority of my attempts at friendship have ended in failure either unintentionally because of my social ineptitude or intentionally because of my own insecurities. And while a part of me does feel lonely at times, there are actually a lot of times that I just don't want to deal with the give and take of real relationships. So I opt for obsessing over fictional characters and my one-sided love for them.

The only major downside to this is that when an obsession with a particular character ends, I become very upset because I feel like I'm "abandoning" them and that I'm "betraying" them when I find new character obsessions.