Blog Post #1 – Pinterest: A Place for all Interests


Hi Everyone,

     A website that I have started using frequently in the past few months is Pinterest. While this has been a popular web and mobile application for a while, I only recently discovered everything that it has to offer. This is a social network platform that has pictures and videos of food, fashion, home décor, crafts, and everything in between. You can search for nearly anything and then “pin” what interests you to different boards on your personal profile. For example, I have a board called “Food & Drink” where I pin recipes that I would like to try out and another called “accessories” where I have pinned jewellery and other accessories that I find pretty or would be interested in purchasing. As someone who has an interest in cooking/baking as well as design I find this to be a great platform to find inspiration. It is also a place where you can post your own images with tips or how-to instructions (something I have not yet done but plan to in the near future). 
     To me, Pinterest is like an online version of a collaborative vision board where you can show others what you are interested in and discover new projects to tackle. I like that this is a social networking platform that is less focused on receiving constant gratification from others but is instead focused on developing interests and finding inspirations. I like to go on it when I am looking for something specific or occasionally just to browse, but I do not feel glued to it in the same way that I have with other platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Additionally, with Halloween right around the corner this is a great place to find DIY costume ideas or share your own unique ones with others. For those of you who have not tried it out, I would definitely recommend it and I have included a link here: https://www.pinterest.ca/

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 22, 2018 at 10:50 AM

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts about one of your favourite websites that the internet provides. It is interesting that the media website you chose to share was Pinterest because I was thinking about sharing it as well. I have known about Pinterest for many years now and made my personal account when I found out about it, however, I only starting using it recently and have grown to love its purpose and layout. I also believe that Pinterest is a less harmful media outlet since it is mainly about browsing through specific pages and categories relating to one's interests. It is less about creating a personal social media profile posting pictures and video's of yourself to portray a positive, healthy, fun, etc., lifestyle that may not be misleading (as we saw in the short film "A Social Life" in class). Pinterest teaches me many things about food, clothing, decorations, DIY tricks, etc., which is why I am such a big fan of the website and its concept. I am an artsy individual and I am always looking for new ideas, which Pinterest continues to provide.

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  2. Rachel GuerreiroSeptember 23, 2018 at 3:26 PM

    I really enjoyed reading your personal preference and interests in Pinterest. I have used Pinterest a couple of times and have really enjoyed the experience and features it provides. I am a big fan of home renovations and decor that I often find myself scrolling through the home and DIY pages that Pinterest has to offer. Pinterest has also given me inspiration in a number of other lifestyle categories that I often tend to try myself when I have free time including new cooking recipes. I love that it has something to offer for everyone and continues to grow as more people participate. I see Pinterest as a safe and open platform for users to browse and gain further insight into the things they love. My love for home renovation really sparked when I was able to browse and learn from other people's postings. Perhaps I will be able to share my insights in the future.

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  3. UnknownSeptember 23, 2018 at 8:30 PM

    I enjoyed reading your post about pinterest. Personally I am also a fan of the website and think that it is really nice seeing how you can throw ideas together and have them all in one place for you to go back and see any time you wish. I thought you did a good job at expression your feelings towards the site which made for a good read in my opinion. I thought that you made a great point at how this specific platform isn't meant to find gratification or get approval on the content your posting, but rather a place where you can express yourself and find other profiles with similar interests.

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  4. WillSeptember 24, 2018 at 12:58 PM

    Hey Olivia!

    Really interesting post! I believe that your observation that Pinterest is a platform that is fundamentally less concerned with social gratification and is more geared toward self-expression sharing creative ideas/projects is true. However, I would argue that it is important to not be completely uncritical of the platform. I question how one's use of Pinterest relates to or supports the pursuit of instant gratification on other social media sites such as Instagram. For example, how does the character of your self-expression change if, for instance, you Instagram a meal that you made from Pinterest in hopes of receiving social gratification? Moreover, how does Pinterest's algorithm influence your interests?

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    Replies
    1. Olivia HeinsSeptember 24, 2018 at 2:21 PM

      Hi Will!

      You definitely bring up some really interesting and insightful points. I do agree that there are some social gratification elements to Pinterest just like most Social Media platforms, however I do think that this is not the focus of the site as much as it is with Instagram for example. I definitely agree that it is important to be critical of this platform as well and that it is not necessarily better or worse than other Social Media sites, depending on how you use them. Although, for me personally I don't care about having followers on Pinterest or who looks at my page or content in the same way that I do on Instagram. I use this site as more of a way just to find things of interest and design or food ideas, although I do feel that if I posted more of my own content that it would become a tool for social gratification as well.

      With regard to your last question, I do also see how the images that pop up when I am logged in are very much based on what I have previously pinned. I definitely think that algorithms are very much used to influence users similar to other social media platforms and that this could be taken advantage of by companies as a way to market their products. Although, compared to Facebook there is not the same level of targeted advertising or push to spend money, there is more of a focus on a lot of DIY projects instead.

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  5. UnknownSeptember 26, 2018 at 12:31 PM

    I too have always been drawn to Pinterest for its endless content and the ability to tailor your profile to your specific interests and needs. Personally I have boards dedicated to exercise, hairstyles, healthy eating, decor and recipes, all in which I believe accurately reflect my true self.

    There is definitely more of a personal and relaxed feel to Pinterest as most are pinning to their profiles in order to explore their own interests rather than posting in hopes of receiving gratification from others. And although I do agree that Pinterest is more of an extension of our true selves in comparison to other social media outlets, I also find myself pinning recipes in which are way beyond my skill level or making a tattoo board for the tattoos I’m never going to acquire. Despite my lack of followers it’s interesting to think how online platform such as Pinterest is most likely still influence our choices subconsciously and how we are still trying to portray the best/desired versions of ourselves through these boards.

    In terms of the 'commitment" that Pinterest requires, I also enjoy that it doesn’t seem to demand the constant attention in which other platforms seem to. With Instagram and Facebook we often feel obligated to reply to posts in which we were tagged in and like others photos within a timely manner, Pinterest on the other hand seems to allow for a more leisurely pace.

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