When ritualistic scrolling leaves me feeling like I can’t write, read, decorate, think, cook or dress well at all, I turn to my virtual oasis – Pinterest. I joined the platform in 2013 out of curiosity and was hooked. Pinterest is like a soulmate – I can have my flings with Facebook, Instagram, and may stonewall Twitter, but I will always come home to Pinterest.
A lot of it is about the perspective Pinterest offers. It is the only platform that doesn’t pander to the narcissistic appetites that the rest of them encourage, applaud and embolden. We have begun to measure the quality of our lives with the controlled, online content of people we don’t even know. No wonder we feel so depressed and anxious.
We search for ‘butter chicken’ on Instagram and our frenemy’s (frenemies, if you are honest) post pops up – ala a perfectly orange, succulent looking chicken with a sumptuous garnish of impossibly green coriander and smooth-beaten cream streaks contrasting against a skinny roomali roti, served in the family silver. It permeates us with the kind of envy that we thought we were too self-actualised to feel.
Pinterest is consumed differently. Search anything and up pop the best-performing pictures, choose the one you like, save it, visit the site, follow the instructions, and voila! You have a steaming dish of butter chicken that you can share – where else – on Instagram. You continue to pretend you can cook, are too zen for envy, and may even be self-actualised.
Thematic content which isn’t your own is why Pinterest offers such solace to bruised egos. As a virtual collection of ideas that inspire, you can access it when planning a party, searching for a DIY project, or hoping to just read quotes of famous minds. We turn to Pinterest when we want to discover, to Instagram when we want to show off.
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Pinterest reminds us that there is a world outside of ourselves. That sometimes a pretty picture isn’t just enough. Sometimes you want a more robust commitment from your social media platform. One isn’t bombarded with invasive, sponsored content here because the brands are too busy doing that on other platforms. Since 2018, there have been no political ads on Pinterest. Read that again. That alone makes it a winner for me. Pinterest is the nice guy in this virtual world. No wonder it is finishing behind the others.
All social media platforms are equal but some are more equal than others. A fact that was no more apparent than in the recent controversy surrounding Instagram and the toxic effect it has on young girls. It speaks something of Mark Zuckerberg’s audacity that he refused to reduce the spread of false content on Facebook if it affects user engagement.
Zodiac charts influence my gravitation towards Pinterest. It is uncomplicated. It appeals to the Virgo in me – you can categorise your thoughts on boards, according to your recent activity or alphabetically or chronologically. It’s visually appealing, accessible, and therapeutic. Like all things classic and beautiful – it is simple, it is elegant.
Here is an interesting fact. 95% of Pinterest searches were unbranded. Take a moment for that to sink in. It shows the platform’s commitment to offering unbranded and latest content and new creators. They take positivity seriously. Monitoring content and moderating it intentionally has led 80% of users to associate the platform with positivity.
What started as a casual flirtation with Pinterest has turned into a steadfast devotion. While earlier I sought decor, culinary and sartorial advice, now I search for positive parenting tips, how to conquer a particularly bullying writer’s block, what I should do with my canvases and how I can be a more resilient human. It provides me with a ready list of caustic retorts when the cat catches my tongue, how to practice self-care and delineate boundaries.
The Instagrams and Facebooks may make me feel insufficient and LinkedIn may remind me of my professional ineptitudes. But I am yet to leave Pinterest with anything apart from feeling encouraged, buoyant and capable. It tells me I can definitely wrestle with that story idea, conquer that cake and handle that toddler tantrum. It lets me feel like I am worthy.
Aren’t the best relationships based on that?
Pulkit Singh is a ninja because she can’t be Batman. Her articles have been published in The Tribune, Deccan Herald, The Wire and others. You can find her as @thegirlbythefirelight on Instagram. On Pinterest, she chooses to stay invisible.