DIY Definition

To me, DIY is creating with your hands and mind, digitally or not, for a specific purpose. This purpose could be for a specific source of activism like an anti-war protest. In Craft Hard Die Free, Black and Burisch show many different examples of craftivism, like the pink military tank that is done in protest of the War on Terror. In that case, there is a specific source for craft. In other cases, the reason behind DIY is not so specific. For example, my reason behind wanting to knit was the nostalgic feel. The Stitch ‘n Bitch article by Stella Minahan and Julie Wolfram Cox goes through five different themes which relate to DIY craft. Craft however, is not the same thing as art. Although they are very similar and sometimes have blurry lines they are two different things. Buzek explains in his Introduction, “craft theory cannot be assimilated neatly into that of contemporary art, but instead merits its own language and measures” (13). Craft can be beautiful like art, but gets used. It is not created just to look at. There is activism or use behind craft. Jackson, who wrote Men Who Make, talks about craft in relation to work and leisure. Jackson believes that craft has a place outside of work, but that in a lot of cases it can be an extension of the regular, paid work people do. This type of work, but at the same time, leisure is described as flow. This feeling of concentration with the right amount of challenge, but not too much, is a part of craft. However, a certain amount of frustration can happen too. In my own experiences I felt a ton of frustration and while listening to other people explain their mid-term projects, so do a lot of other people. DIY culture has a lot of emotion in it. In regards to the digital world, DIY is included in that. People can digitally create their own work with reason and use behind it. Edupunk is just one thing that can, and does many times, use technology and digital works in DIY culture. Learning things on your own is using both your hands in order to create and the mind while learning. Ideas are bounced around and statements are made just like with regular craft. Malcolm McCullough states in his article, Abstracting Craft, that tools and technologies working with the hand are craft. He purposely added the “and technologies” portion to explain that digital work is part of DIY culture and craft. Jenkins goes through many examples of digital work making a statement in DIY culture in his book. He discusses how virtual worlds, memes, and videos added to elections. He also discusses Star Wars culture. This online group and DIY groups in general create community among its members. All in all DIY is a culture with a purpose and a specific fan base. It does go far beyond that though. Defining DIY and the culture that goes along with it is very difficult to define for me.