The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 53

Published 5/29/13   |   Log In

Beware: Pinterest will take your soul

Social media distorts perspectives

By ALLEY JORDAN, Opinions Editor

Published: October 24, 2012

Recently, I wrote a column on how Pinterest is not the antithesis to the female identity, and I stand by that statement. But now I’m writing about how people are using Tumblr and Pinterest to define themselves. In other words, the personalities, passions and pursuits of people seem to be molding into how they define themselves online. This opinion is not newfound knowledge to the world. Yet, people are still subjecting themselves to living mindlessly on the web, not realizing that it is one gargantuan vortex of self-promotion.

I had a Pinterest account for a little over six months until I realized that my addiction had actualized and that I was living a false-life on the Internet. Finally, I mustered up the courage to deactivate my account a mere week ago. Now that the deed of deletion has at last commenced, I must state the disingenuous way of living on the Internet.

At first, the philosophies of Tumblr and Pinterest sound ideal: express yourself creatively with pretty pictures and inspiring quotations. I got sucked into Pinterest because my friends would spend a hefty amount of time on the site with each other, and I just had to see what all the fuss was about.

Come the start of autumn quarter, I realized that my closet was too crowded and that I hadn’t saved nearly as much money as I had hoped in order to vagabond around the world this summer. My attractions had changed in a mere matter of months, and I was buying crap I didn’t need. I had forgotten the interests that I accumulated by myself throughout my life. I was focusing on the pursuits floating around Pinterest.

As soon as I awoke in the morning, I would click on my Pinterest bookmark and see what lovely images the ladies of the Internet had posted during my beauty sleep. I would do this before I had my breakfast, before I brushed my teeth and before I would even look out the window. In effect, before I awoke to my own life, I awoke to the life of Pinterest. I went to the life where I saw girls living their lives. Actually, it sounds remarkably like reality television.

Why was I trying to perfect the sock bun? Why did I even know what a sock bun was, and why did I care? Instead of buying music albums and travel gear, I was buying the new Bare Minerals foundation. While on Pinterest, I was molding myself into a virtual beauty queen. And I am so much more than that.

Anyway, my priorities needed to be reset. So, deactivate I did! And I cannot believe that it took me until now, for six months is far too long. It’s only been a week, and already I feel like I’m back to my old-self again.

The things on Tumblr and Pinterest are not real—they’re images of a life that someone else has. In essence, the posts on these sites are just regurgitations of who people think they want to be through the clothes and make-up that they buy.

Without wasting away my time and money on the things posted on Pinterest, I can burry my nose deep in a newspaper again (or maybe just watch Arrested Development) and save up for a ticket around the world instead. That seems like a much better way to live. For one thing, it’s real.

Now, I confess that Pinterest has given me great baking recipes, and I know that the Falcon editorial staff isn’t complaining, although their arteries might. But, it’s time to go back to the old-fashioned recipe book. It’s time to leave the Matrix and become a real person again.

Facebook, you’re next… maybe.

Opinions Editor Alley Jordan is a senior political science and classics major at Seattle Pacific.

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