Fun fact, I’m not even top 13,000 in the world for 3×3 speedsolving. So yeah, I’m a big believer in the title.
Speedcubing is a large portion of the cubing community, but saying it is the cubing community is like saying Italian food is the only type of European cuisine. There’s a lot more out there to experience.
Not all cubers are speedcubers. As a YouCuber, sticker modder, and collector myself I should know. (If you’re not familiar with the above terms I recommend reading my previous blog about these terms!)
A previous blog entry that breaks down the various “factions” within the cubing community
Only discussing speedsolving when talking about cubing reflects an inaccurate image of the cubing community that leads to greater hesitation to join from those not interested in becoming fast.
What if you’re not interested in speed? What if you’re an antique toy collector or you really like to just solve complex puzzles?
Somebody like this who learns about the cubing community may easily be put off because it seems from the outside that speed is the only thing that matters. How can we fix this?
Cubers:
If someone shows interest in learning about the community, start by providing them with solving resources.
It’s easy to jump right to speedsolving, after all it is the thing that draws a crowd in the first place, and many people in that crowd typically ask questions centered around solving quickly.
But if you present information about cubing isolated from the specific goal of solving it quickly, you will do a better job of accurately portraying the scope of the community.
Some examples:
Q: “What’s your fastest time?”
A: “X is my fastest time, but it took me a while to get there. I started just solving for fun. There are some great resources on YouTube if it’s a skill you want to learn. A lot of people solve as fast as they can, but not everybody is concerned with speed in the community.”
Conclusion:
Note: There is no “general public/non-cuber” perspective here because there is nothing that can be done from the other side.
In order to accurately advertise cubing, you have to advertise all of cubing. Making sure to emphasize that speed is not everything is a healthy introduction that will help others get more into the hobby.
Claire Farinha
IDK why, but I always had this notion that if I wanted to cube, I would have to do it fast. Hearing that’s it’s so much more than that makes me feel better about my borderline inability to solve a Rubix cube within the lifetime of the planet. I also really like taking puzzles slow and having a relaxing time working on them. Good to know I can use the same thoughts for cubing!
jpw5802
Do you give lessons?
Adam Vetser
I would certainly would if you’re really interested, but there are great YouTube tutorials that can probably teach you faster than I can without the need to meet. Here’s the one I learned from (it’s old now but should still do the trick): https://youtu.be/HsQIoPyfQzM
And here’s a more modern tutorial:https://youtu.be/1t1OL2zN0LQ
Let me know if you have any questions!