The Algorithms recently flung this article my way which crystallized the idea of "serious leisure" for me. It brought to mind Dungeons & Dragons and Role-Playing Games, but it also made me think about my experience with Software Engineering. The study's hypothesis is that involving yourself in an intense hobby over the course of years/decades has benefits beyond simply relaxing and having fun. It's about skill development and mastery, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of community.

I played D&D intensely throughout my teenage years. I get what the article is saying.

It also occurred to me that I've been doing "Software Engineering" for much longer: almost 40 years now. Of course back then, as a kid, I just called it "coding" and on the surface it was usually about creating video games. But as I look back, I see that where I really got the satisfaction was learning how to tell the computer to do something complicated. I'm sure self-esteem and dopamine also had something to do with it.

I'm lucky that Software Engineering as "serious leisure" eventually led me to a successful career. There are not a lot of professional D&Ders out there.