Gamifying Hobbies Is Ruining Them

"The new YouTube documentary Listers is a down-the-rabbit-hole glimpse at the norms and neuroses of the "extreme bird-watching" community. If that sounds painfully boring, it's not-this is one of the funniest documentaries I've seen in some time. In it, the brothers Quentin and Owen Reiser chronicle their try at a "big year," a bird-nerd term for attempting to identify as many different species as possible in a single calendar year."

"They start out knowing next to nothing about birds-an app designer and a cinematographer from Collinsville, Illinois, the Reisers get into birding after one of them stumbles across an ornithological guidebook during a bleary-eyed smoke session. Then they buy a $4,500 Kia Sedona and traverse the country with the goal of finding more than 700 unique specimens. Although both brothers are the subjects of the film, Quentin spends most of the time on camera"

"Quentin takes magic mushrooms on a seabird boat tour. The vibe here is less Animal Planet and more Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle: "It's all gonna be, like, accurate? Scientifically accurate?" Owen asks early on when he learns that his brother is planning to create an illustrated bird guide about their travels. "Yeah," Quentin responds, deadpan. The camera zooms in on his drawing of a bird-one presumes a tufted titmouse-with crude, cartoonish boobs protruding from its feathers."

Quentin and Owen Reiser attempt a 'big year' to identify as many bird species as possible, starting with little ornithological knowledge. An app designer and a cinematographer, they purchase a $4,500 Kia Sedona and travel across the United States aiming for more than 700 species. The film alternates between low-tech camcorder footage of the gritty logistics—cooking beans, sleeping in Cracker Barrel parking lots—and high-resolution wildlife videography showcasing birds' splendor. The brothers' humor and drug-fueled hijinks coexist with earnest engagement, revealing how hobbies can supply meaning and how smartphones and modern habits can corrupt focused pursuit.

Read at The Atlantic