Pinterest: What It Says About Its Users

Aside from coffee (which I previously mentioned in my About Me post), I am absolutely obsessed with Pinterest. Anyone who says that the site is dumb is just kidding themselves, my boyfriend being a prime example of this. However, I have noticed that the percentage of females relative to males who use the site on a regular basis and have an account is extremely high. 

I think this may be due to the fact that while females typically like shopping more than males do, Pinterest also heavily features pictures of fashion, weddings, and babies, which are three things that males have little to no interest in. (Not to say that males don't LIKE those subjects, but looking at picture after picture of them probably doesn't peak their interest very much). At least not the guys that I'M friends with. 

This Pinterest pattern consumption relates well to gender roles in today's society. Females are typically softer, gentler, and more sexualized. They tend to take a deeper interest in fashion and makeup because they value their appearance, and how they present themselves to the world, as per social norms. Males are more aggressive and tough, which is the opposite of Pinterest, to say the least. This may be why very few males use Pinterest and engage in the site.

The ideal self is also represented through the boards of Pinterest users. Speaking on behalf of my own boards, I have "My Style", "Dream Home", and "People" boards that I frequently pin to. While some of these pins relate very well to my actual self, many of them are more associated with my ideal self, whether they are pictures of clothes I wish I owned, or celebrities whose hair I really admire. While I am happy with my actual self, Pinterest highlights aspects of my life that do not actually exist, but that I sometimes wish did. 

Pinterest is a great time killer and an excellent source to use for inspiration for just about anything. It allows users to share recipes, DIYs, and products that they love, and store them all conveniently in one place so that they can reference them later on. It is a great indicator of what we consume, why we consume, and how we sometimes wish that we COULD consume. In other words, Pinterest is Consumer Behavior Central.