IIUC you would say that if someone spends ~$1000/yr on their ice-skating hobby and say makes $10 back on ice-skating-related affiliate links on SM posts, that that's not spending a net $990/yr on their hobby, it's "monetizing their activity"?

Curious to see other people's responses.

I think the term "monetize" has been debased to almost meaninglessness.

> Curious to see other people's responses.

I agree with the other guy. If you're trying to make money, you are monetizing, regardless of whether it's actually profitable.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Monetization doesn't imply profitability. Though if they really are downsizing essentially no time or effort on it and bringing in essentially no revenue, they aren't heavily monetized.

But even just conceptually framing your hobbies as something that could bring in revenue can change how you approach things, and probably not for the better in terms of enjoyment or stress relief.

Well, 'monetizing', but not in any signficant way, certainly not paying for the whole thing.

By that token, Girl Scouts selling cookies is 'monetizing' their hobby. It would feel weird to retrospectively apply 'monetize' back into the early 20th century or beyond (prior to the advent of modern newspapers and advertising).

> But even just conceptually framing your hobbies as something that could bring in revenue can change how you approach things, and probably not for the better in terms of enjoyment or stress relief.

Totally agree. And yes framing is a large aspect to it. Like if people who buy lottery tickets every time they stop for gas reframed themselves as 'investors'. Seems unhealthy to have to reframe relaxation activities as 'potential revenue generation'.