What's Up With Pintrest?
There is a new "most-visited website" at my house and it's name is Pintrest. Since I have a wife who is exceedingly creative (decorating, crafts, etc.) and a daughter who is planning a wedding, Pintrest is getting a lot of screen time at the Johnson's.
Pintrest is growing at a breakneck speed. More users...more clicks...more growth than just about anything else on-line. So what's the attraction?
On Christianity Today's site for women's issues, Laura Leonard has a pretty astute analysis. In her article Why Women are Obsessed with Pintrest, she suggests that a woman's appreciation for "beautiful things" is what draws her in and keeps her coming back for more. Because on Pintrest, there is always something beautiful to appreciate.
I love the ideas that Pintrest generates for the women at my house. It inspires them to create beautifulthings for us all to enjoy. It is also (in my opinion) a better way to spend "unwind" time than watching most of what is on TV. For this, I think Pintrest is a very good thing.
But there are at least two things that every Pintrest user should watch out for: relational disconnect and material discontent.
Relational disconnect happens when personal relationships are neglected because of undue time spent in front of a screen. Pintrest is just another culprit in a long line of temptations that take us away from meaningful connections with people. In this list, I would include TV, video games, Facebook, and anything else that causes us to neglect those closest to us. None of these things are bad, but if your spouse or kids feel like you spend more time there than with them, you have a problem. Be sure to monitor the amount of time you spend on-line on any site, Pintrest included.
The second thing to watch out for on Pintrest is material discontent. This is a problem we are all prone to face: we don't appreciate what we have because there is always someone else who has something we desire. Contentment is a virtue that every believer must move towards, but it doesn't come easy. If you are particularly prone to discontent, sites like Pintrest will likely add fuel to the fire. In just a few moments on the site, you are likely to see hundreds of pictures of nicer kitchens than yours, prettier vacation locations than you will ever visit, better hairstyles, firmer abs, etc. The bulletin boards on Pintrest present a "best of" list of every category imaginable. The net result is that your stuff and your life can look pretty shabby by comparison.
If you are a serious Pintrest user, it might be worthwhile to regularly ask God to give you an attitude of gratefulness of all the ways He has blessed your life. That way, Pintrest can serve as an inspiration towards good stewardship of the things with which He has blessed you. I know that's how my girls operate, and for that, I am grateful.