Quoted from ForceFlow:

The thrill of the hunt for a game, meeting other people in the hobby, scavenging for parts, attending shows, doing repairs and making dead games live again, doing research on games, documenting repairs and information, appreciating the artwork, participating in tournaments...most people tend to perk up and ask a lot more questions when I open that door and they find out there's a lot more to it than just buying, selling, or playing.

Quoted from statictrance:

For every time I get a person who doesn't get it or thinks it's a silly hobby

Quoted from fireball2:

They think "silly" wouldn't be "socially acceptable" to their peer group.

Quoted from mario_1_up:

Just had a friend of a friend message me about a williams grand prix that want to get rid of for free. This is where talking about pins to people pays off.