The DIY crowd

[rebeccmeister]

In the midst of our tremendously long bike ride, one of my friends said that his best friends are the do-it-yourself types. novabird's most recent post reminded me of this, as she seems a kindred spirit in such matters (I hope we have a chance to meet sometime when I'm up in Seattle, nb).

I always struggle with classifying people as different types (witness extended conflict over the term "hippie"), but the DIY type does a pretty darned good job of encompassing what I love as well. Perhaps the most awesome part of defining people as DIY is that in my mind at least it implies individuality, but not necessarily egotistical independence. In doing something yourself, you're going to have to interact with other people to learn how to do it or to share what you've learned, and it implies automatic recognition of every person's awesome potential. It speaks to my enjoyment of handmade things and avoidance of automation, which goes hand-in-hand with my ecological ideals (Ride a bicycle to Tucson? Why yes. Cook food from local ingredients? Of course! Activities both satisfying and lower-impact.). It also doesn't have the same connotations of 70's drug culture and dreadlocks and patchouli that dog the label "hippie"--I think it's a recently popular term in response to mass-manufactured materialism. It's a different form of materialism that values the personal.

Surely, by coining a new term we divorce ourselves from aspects of our heritage. I can only hope that it promotes a re-emphasis and celebration of the things that are important to us: hand-made leg warmers, funky ceramics sculptures, lovingly assembled hodgepodge bicycles.

Comments

[purpurin.livejournal.com]

I get that DIY thing all the time. Sam said that when I called to set up our first date and I told him not to worry about looking nice or anything, because I had just regrouted all the tile in my bathroom (at a rental), he thought, "wow, she's practical." He meant DIY, but being bilingual, he said "practical." It also implied hippie because there was no way for me to shower in my newly grouted bathroom, but I still went on a first date anyway. It turned out that his bike parts in the living room and my painting supplied and yarn basket getting along nicely and we don't mind each other's hobbies crowding our tiny space together, because we share that in common. I take pride in co-dependent independent living.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

Aww, that's so sweet, and I can see how you'd get that a lot. How does that label make you feel? I guess maybe the most interesting aspect for me is that it seems like a positive label, so I can't complain and in fact it puts me in a happy mindset. It's an interesting matter to consider because so many labels that spring to mind have negative connotations.

[pedal-pusher.livejournal.com]

have you ever gone to etsy.com ? its one of my favourite websites. some friends of mine and people all over the country make handmade goods you can buy for really cheap. you can even set up your own account to sell stuff you make. its a good way to avoid the capitalistic system when shopping for christmas and birthday gifts. you also help support people within your own area when you buy goods from them. a girl in my art class even makes her own drawing paper and sells it for $4 a bundle on etsy. its pretty sweet.

i love the DIY crowd. my friend noah makes his own bicycle messenger bags out of old thrown-away vinyl band posters, and they are much more sturdy than the ones you buy for $100.

i always grew my own vegetables growing up. i would probably still be into it if i had a set place to live, with a backyard. composting, sewing, cooking. i love it all.
we have alot in common.