I doubt that Jesus, Buddha, and Descartes ever imagined their words would ring true in 2013, nevertheless dominate something on the internet (WTF is that- they’d probably think), on a website called Pinterest. No longer do people have to tear pages out of magazines and collect them in binders to remind themselves how to get that red wine stain out of silk. Instead, the user pins a plethora of tips, tricks, and trends to their boards to easily access their favorite things–recipes, street styles, and of course, inspirational quotes.
Now when you’re feeling down there’s no need to reach for that bottle of Xanax. Folks flock to Pinterest to post positive quotes- sorry Tony Robbins. The site has a board dedicated to quotes that allows users to read the most memorable phrases that people are pinning. Users can also search any philosopher, politician, or celebrity (dead or alive) to find their words of wisdom.
Forget The Secret, Pinterest is the new mecca of motivation and hope. People pin quotes from everything ranging from love to fitness to work ethic, and pretty much everything in between. But do these pins really help? Is Pinterest the new group therapy?
Beyond that, is it honest? With the popularity of Pinterest, it has become a fad to be the bearer of encouraging expressions.
I’ve seen the witch that tried to make out with my boyfriend pin positive prose and she certainly doesn’t practice what her Pinterest board preaches. If she was being honest, her board of quotes would be filled with gems from Amanda Bynes about Drake murdering her lady parts and calling people ugly.
People assume that if someone’s board is filled with messages about love, acceptance, and hard work that the pinner’s behavior must be in line with their posts. While I’m sure this is true in some cases, the majority just pin and move on. Pin it and quit it. I say, instead of spending hours curating the perfect posts, they should get offline and on with their real lives and really try to make a difference. We aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, and in my experiences, you shouldn’t praise a pinner based on their positive Pinterest affirmations.
But if you must incessantly post preachy quotes on your boards, please practice what you pin.
