Lada Semakova -- Aiming for Perfection: The Pinterest Platform and Rise of the DIY Movement

## **The General Topic**

The collaborative platform of
Pinterest allows users to create personalized profiles. These profiles allow
users to collect, organize and share images that align with the user’s
preferences. Adding an image to a personal profile is called “pinning”.
Pinterest allows members to explore a broad range of categories including but
not limited to: fashion, crafts, cuisine, travel destinations, interior design,
art and fitness. Among this wide array of visual material exist a substantial
amount of posts, which encourage users to recreate the projects at home. Many
users engage in this recreation process. The replication of Pinterest posts has
given rise to the so-called Do It Yourself (DIY) movement.

## **The Importance of Pinterest & DIY Culture**

The DIY movement is a form of
collaboration. Individuals with similar creative interests worldwide have the
ability to access identical information, execute the instructions and then
share the results. This process sparks unity. Any individual interested in using
Pinterest images is able to do so, because Pinterest images are copyright free.
However, credit is given to the original contributor through a hyperlink
located beneath each image.

Comments are also encouraged.
Members can alter the captions associated with “pinned” images to personalize
them and contextualize their existence within their personal account. Users
looking to participate in the DIY culture on Pinterest are inspired by their
saved selection. The images are usually strikingly perfect.

All aspects of Pinterest images
are polished. From the angles and lighting of the photographs, to the subject
matter’s crisp execution. Attempting to replicate such flawlessness poses a
significant challenge. DIY users aim to achieve perfection.

This lucrative concept of
perfection is dangled in front of the users faces every time they log on. The
sight of it is intimidating in and of itself. But the concept of recreating
these ideal images is even more daunting. The fear does not stop the users
however. They put forth their best effort and are hopeful that their parmesan
zucchini sticks will turn out exactly like the ones they added to

their
"Foodie" folder two months beforehand. But as the timer buzzes, and the
hopeful user pulls the tray out of the oven, instead of the succulent golden
green pieces of zucchini, they see burnt and somehow simultaneously soggy
shrivelled up noodles of green goop. One can't help, but feel defeated on some
level.

The concept of perfection is
embodied through the showcasing of ideal imagery, but also through the
concealment of failure. Professor. Morgan Leckie from the University of Ohio
believes that Western society encourages the hiding of error. She states:
"[What] we “ought to hide” often includes our failed attempts at perfection—our
sagging pineapple upside-down cakes, un-toned arms, and ... children’s birthday
parties with which we are forever disappointed” (2015). This pressure to
succeed and share the success through exhibition manifests itself in social
anxiety and worse yet, is perpetuated by other media as well.

## **The Research Focus**

This study will document the
pressures and gratifications of the Pinterest DIY project execution and sharing
process. The research will focus on how the DIY phenomenon is impacting the
Western notions of perfection. Whilst investigating this phenomenon, the
negative pressures associated with being exposed to idealized imagery will be
considered, as well as the impossible expectations

imposed on users attempting
to recreate them. However, the positive effects will also be explored by analyzing
the cathartic practice of sharing DIY mistakes with others on communal forums,
such as: Pinterestfail.com, Crafster.org and sub-forums like Reddit DIY Fail.

## **The Method**

The preliminary stage of my
research will involve a textual analysis of scholarly sources regarding the
Pinterest platform, the DIY movement and the 21st century Western
concept of perfection.  After the
completion of the textual analysis the scope of the study will be expanded. The
data collection process will advance by relating the information to specific
examples from the 3 websites mentioned above (i.e. Pinterestfail.com, Crafster.org and Reddit DIY Fail). Lastly, the research process
will also include tangible evidence in the form of a personal attempt at
completing a Pinterest DIY project. This will allow for the comparison between
personal experience and the documented experiences of other users. This part of
the investigation will strengthen the overall understanding of how this online
community functions.

## **The Importance of the Research Focus**

The phenomenon being explored is
significant in its ability to unify individuals on a single platform, normalize
standards of perfection and stimulate conversation among members of both
similar and conflicting views.

## **Contextualization of Topic in Broader Concepts**

The collaboration of users on Pinterest is just one
example of how specific Internet-based platforms transform the ways society
interacts and alters social norms by generating content. The motivation behind
participating in DIY culture is both communal and individualistic. The
individualistic drive is often based on goal attainment—the aiming for
perfection.

Professor Buote and her team of researchers in their
study of modern cultural norms state that individuals being dissatisfied with
themselves is so common that it is referred to in the scientific community as
“normative discontent” (2006). Buote’s research links this discontent with a
constant exposure to idealized images in the media. Likewise, Pinterest images
force users to compare themselves and their achievements to the highly edited
and professionally photographed images on the Pinterest platform. This leads to
dissatisfaction, which can only be alleviated by discrediting these pressures.

The sharing of mistakes associated with DIY projects achieves
exactly that. “Pinterest fails” use humour to alleviate societal pressures
associated with not conforming to pre-set standards. In this way, the existence
of DIY sharing forums aids individuals in overcoming their fear of failure—a
practice that could not have been possible prior to the existence of online
interaction.

The final paper will address the relationship between
Pinterest as a sharing platform, DIY Pinterest culture as a means of attempting
to reach faultlessness and the sharing of DIY errors as a cathartic practice.

## **The Bibliography**

Buote,
V. M., Cressman, K. E., Strahan, E. J., & Wilson, A. E. (2006). Comparing
to perfection: How cultural norms for appearance affect social comparisons and
self-image. *Body image*, *3*(3), 211-227.

Holmes, K., Greenhill, A., & McLean, R. (2014). Creating communities: The use of technology in craft and DIY communities of practice. *Journal* of Systems and Information Technology*, 16(4), 277. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSIT-05-2013-0018*

Jassawalla, A. R., &
Sashittal, H. C. (2015). Why Do College Students Use Pinterest? A model and
implications for scholars and marketers. *Journal* of Interactive
Advertising*, 15(1), 54-66. doi:10.1080/15252019.2014.956196*

Leckie, M. C. (2015). Undo It Yourself: Challenging Normalizing Discourses of Pinterest? Nailed it! *Harlot*, 14(1). Retrieved from http://www.harlotofthearts.com/index.php/harlot/article/view/296/183

Maxwell, K., & Stangler, D.
(2012). DIY Producer Society. *Innovations*, 7(3),  3-10. Retrieved
from: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/INOV\_a\_00134.