Would you like speedcubing to become really popular?

[ISuckAtCubing]

sure why not?

 

[JTW2007]

If cubing could become more popular and not change (other than in numbers of cubers), then I'm all for it.

...

I love cubing now, but if it were diluted by the masses, it would be completely different.

How does the number of people engaging in our hobby in any way change the hobby itself? I agree with you that it changes the culture, and the competitions, etc.

The hobby itself?

Chris

Once the culture is changed, that's good enough for me. Yeah, maybe the popularity doesn't affect algorithms and methods and times, but the culture of the speedcubing community is a very large part of it for me. I have next to zero friends outside of speedcubing, and the more mainstream people there are, the harder it is for people like me to find people they really get along with (i.e. most of the current speedcubing community). There is a reason that speedcubing attracts the kind of people it does. I'm not sure what it is, but I think that if it were diluted with numbers, it would just dissolve.

 

[Ethan Rosen]

"Only 7,000 people in the USA can solve the Rubik's cube in under a minute"

I'd be willing to bet that the actual number is at least double that.

 

[Gparker]

I voted no also. Think, if the media talked about this, it would probably spread aorund like swine flu news. Probably over half of the people would find these forums and ask the same question " hw do i gt faster?>>?!!".

 

[SparkZer00]

I voted no also. Think, if the media talked about this, it would probably spread aorund like swine flu news. Probably over half of the people would find these forums and ask the same question " hw do i gt faster?>>?!!".

maybe there more moderators would solve this, ensuring that those posts get deleted quickly.

I doubt though that noobs would watch tv, and then come here asking how to solve a rubik's cube

Don't forget everyone that competition footage on local news technically is the media talking about cubing

 

[daeyoungyoon]

I would like it to become a little more popular but only up to a certain point.

 

[Hadley4000]

I think there would be some benefits to cubing becoming bigger, but there are a few things I'm torn about.

On one hand, bigger competitions can be fun. Nationals was great because of the size. But, there is something to be said about the small community.

 

[ErikJ]

if it was a huge sport and there was a lot of money at stake every comp it wouldn't be fun.

 

[eastamazonantidote]

I don't want the community to become much larger. This year I taught 2 people how to cube at my school. One became pretty serious, so we have meaningful conversations about algorithms and general cubing. The other one is only interested in patterns and always tries to show off how he can solve a cube in less than 2 minutes. If he ever learns anything "new" (keep in mind I taught him most of what he knows, he just doesn't listen), he comes to me the next day and demonstrates how I could shave down my times.

I feel that a larger community would include many more people like the second guy, whereas with a smaller community, only the dedicated really get into it.

So I vote no.

 

[royzabeast]

I voted no also. Think, if the media talked about this, it would probably spread aorund like swine flu news. Probably over half of the people would find these forums and ask the same question " hw do i gt faster?>>?!!".

maybe there more moderators would solve this, ensuring that those posts get deleted quickly.

I doubt though that noobs would watch tv, and then come here asking how to solve a rubik's cube

Don't forget everyone that competition footage on local news technically is the media talking about cubing

Well, I know that I caused a small pandemic in my homeroom a year ago. I brought it to school when I first learned. I wa in the homeroom with the 'Science Academy' and they all believed themselves to be geniuses. Within the next month, a dozen of them tried to learn. 2 of them did successfully. 1 of them still do it, even buying a 4x4 and 5x5 before I ever did.

"Only 7,000 people in the USA can solve the Rubik's cube in under a minute"

I'd be willing to bet that the actual number is at least double that.

I thought it would be more closer to a million then 10,000...

 

[FaNtAsYDeAlEr]

If it was more popular there would be more demand for cubes so cube prices would be lower and we could get our cubes in the us easier and faster. we might see some better speed cubes idk just some thoughts. I do also like the fact that not a lot of ppl can solve one you feel like you have accomplished something by solving it.

Fail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Supply-and-demand.svg

I'm sorry I dont see how its a fail... "The price P of a product is determined by a balance between production at each price (supply S) and the desires of those with purchasing power at each price (demand D). 2, along with a consequent increase in price and quantity Q sold of the product."... your saying we are at the perfect point between supply, demand, and quantity to get the best price then?

 

[vvtopkar]

I personally would not like it if speedcubing became too popular. There has already been a large influx of algo memorizing drones that pretend they understand the cube, but while their times might be good, they don't actually understand what in the world they are doing.

 

[SlaughterMelon]

Yes and no.

Yes, because there are NO mainstream sports for "smart" people or people who aren't "sporty" or "athletic."
Yes, because if it was a mainstream sport, we'd get more cubes, more types of cubes, and better cubing technology.
Yes, because then we (as a society) would put more of an emphasis on good math education, rather than getting laid and being "cool" in school.
Yes, because I think it would be freaking hilarious to see a "super speed cube" commercial on the TV.
Yes, because it would lift the "super smart asian kid" stereotype a little bit.
Yes, because it would create a more diverse community.

No, because if cubing was better known, we'd get more people complaining about how we're not in a sport because we're not running around in circles.
No, because it would turn cubing into what pro gaming (Halo and Guitar Hero, I'm looking at you) has become (in the United States, at least).
No, because we don't need more celebrities who think they can do anything because they're famous.
No, because it's kinda cool to be involved in something underground.
No, because then it would be less impressive to be able to solve a 3x3 or even a 2x2 cube.
No, because then it would be tainted with capitalism.

TL;DR-
Yes=6
No=6

 

[Sin-H]

Yes, because there are NO mainstream sports for "smart" people or people who aren't "sporty" or "athletic."

Chess? Poker?

Yes, because then we (as a society) would put more of an emphasis on good math education, rather than getting laid and being "cool" in school.

are you sure? do we learn how to play the guitar just because Guitar Hero is becoming popular? do we learn more things about war tactics because "killer-games" are becoming popular? and, to be honest, does Math alone help you to become a good speedcuber? there's much more than that.

this is a highly interesting thread. I personally would have thought that most of us would like it to become extremely popular, and even I would have wanted that, but after cogitating a bit, I actually saw all the bad aspects about it.
Still I wouldn't "mind" our passion to become a sport which is more mainstream.

 

[DcF1337]

I personally would not like it if speedcubing became too popular. There has already been a large influx of algo memorizing drones that pretend they understand the cube, but while their times might be good, they don't actually understand what in the world they are doing.

So, how exactly do you understand what you're doing when you're cubing?

 

[(X)]

I bring my cube to school every single day. So needless to say some people get interested and want to learn how to solve a cube. They then go home and watch the Dan Brown tutorial, and they become able of solving the cube in 2 minutes. After a week no one cares to bring their own cube anymore. Sometimes people ask me if they can borrow my cube, but they don't cube at all at home, and have partially lost the interest.

Ok, these people would never consider going to a competition, they just wanted to be able to solve the cube, and that's it. We all know that cubing is in growth, but I think it will only grow to a certain point because competitive cubing is not for everyone.

BTW I voted no

 

[shoot1510]

I chose no because speedcubing is about speed. Speedcubing is only like you solve the 3x3x3 as fast as you can. But not many people are interested in becoming fast as that 6 year old kid who can solve a rubik cube in 34 sec or famous speedcubers like Erik Akkersdijk. Many people just want to show off that they can solve the rubik cube.

 

[Rubixcubematt]

IMO, it is easy to say that you don't want cubing to grow if you live in America or Europe, but here in Australia/New Zealand, or any other country that it isn't big, we would say that we would love cubing to grow a bit. this would mean that we could have a lot more competitions around, unlike in America where there is basically a competition every weekend.

 

[soccerking813]

I would like for speedcubing to become a little more recognized than it is right now, but not so that people start having their favorite cubers who they support and bet money on. I like for people to think of me as a little different, an individual. If speedcubing became a huge "sport" then people would all be saying I started when it became popular, when I didn't.

Didn't vote for anything, because my choice wasn't an option.

 

[kickinwing2112]

I would say we need more than we have now but not to a point were stupid contributions are overwhelmingly huge. I would like to see more people at competitions and more people doing things that aren't 3x3x3 at competitions.