Individuality and Aesthetics: How Pinterest Has Challenged a Generation
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Growing up in my peak years of adolescence, I was truly living a Tumblr-grunge-girl fantasy. Ah, I remember it like it was yesterday. Black creepers, The 1975, and A-line American Apparel skirts were just a few things that would make up my super original personality that absolutely no one else took part in. Instagram and Twitter existed already, of course, but ever since those two forms of media came into our lives, I feel as if we have constantly been striving for a platform to showcase who we want to be in life or where we want to go one day.
That’s what Tumblr was for so many people; an outlet used to create an aesthetic such as Indie, Goth, or Pixiecore, just to name a few. Tumblr had her well-deserved moment from the years 2012 to 2017 (RIP), but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a current space where the “Build-An-Aesthetic” workshop continues to thrive. Let’s give a warm welcome to Pinterest. She will never be Tumblr, but that’s okay.
From Tumblr to Pinterest, what do both of these websites have in common? So much. Remember that word I mentioned earlier, “aesthetics?” Strike history lesson: the word aesthetics came from German philosopher Alexander Baumgarten in 1735. Go off, Alexander. He was the first to use this word in defining work as beauty and perfection. Fast forward to 2022, and the word is now used to categorize various aesthetics you may or may not be familiar with.
Y2K Pop Punk, Twee, e-girl/boy, VSCO girl/boy, Grunge, Cottagecore, and Dark Academia are just a few of the various aesthetics that live within Pinterest. Each aesthetic also entails different characteristics, wardrobes, twists, and personal flairs. Kind of a lot, isn’t it? As I have grown, I’ve realized that mimicking certain groups and copying their particular traits can often be trivial. Yes, it’s understandable to want to participate in your interests and passions. Still, there comes the point where it devolves into performatively wishing to be “social media ready.”
So, where do we draw the line when devolving into making a whole aesthetic your entire personality? Pinterest has become the home of creating mood boards and pinning pictures meant to be idealized. It’s a form of escapism and fuels overconsumption because we all end up becoming copies of one other at the end of the day. How fun. Kind of joking, but not really. Balance is key when it comes to all social media, especially Pinterest. It’s easy to get lost in all its aesthetic glory—wear this, say this, buy this, do this. As a current Pinterest user, I choose not to feed into these expectations because doesn’t this eliminate the fun of creating my own style? Where’s the joy in growing as an individual with my own interests if I’m copying someone else? As someone once told me, “authentic style is reached not by adhering to these imposed genres.”
Strike Out,
Maria Paula Gonzales
Boca Raton
Maria Paula Gonzales is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine FAU. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com
