Are You Anti-Social?
Some woodworkers like social media and others despise it but I think like any technology, it should be used as a tool as opposed to taking over our lives
Jul 04, 2019
Everybody has an opinion. This is nothing new, but thanks to social media those opinions are out there for public consumption. Some folks like social media and others despise it, but I think like any technology it should be used as a tool as opposed to letting it take over our lives.
That being said, I am a big fan of social media (especially Instagram) when it comes to woodworking. Unless you work in a huge shop with multiple woodworkers, woodworking is largely a solitary endeavor. We head to our shops, turn on our favorite music or podcast, and get to work. We often talk to ourselves throughout the day or perhaps a lucky shop animal gets to hear our musings and problem-solving dialogue. We don’t often get to discuss our craft or the projects we are building on a regular basis. A few times a year we may head to a woodworking show or conference where we meet up with others of our ilk to chat about what we do. For the most part, though, we are on our own.
Enter Instagram. Woodworkers on IG are some of the most encouraging and generous people. They post photos and videos of what they are working on for the world to see and comment on. They often offer thoughts on technique or cool little tips and tricks that they’ve figured out in their shop.
Personally, I follow people who inspire me. I’m always looking to poach design ideas that I can incorporate into my own work, so I follow designers and makers from all over the world. I learn cool measuring and marking techniques from someone in Japan or subtle knife techniques from a Swede practicing sloyd.
I don’t follow people based on the number of followers they have or who posts daily. I follow people who are doing cool things. I don’t really care much about the number of followers I have on my IG account, nor do I care about like numbers or engagement stats—I just enjoy sharing what I’m doing and if someone out there gets something from it then great. Instagram allows me to learn from others and grow as a woodworker.
Just because I’ve been at this for nearly 20 years doesn’t mean I know everything or have all the answers. To be fair, I don’t think I will ever truly “master” woodworking, but I’m determined to learn all that I can from all of you in the woodworking world. Sharing what we do and what we are passionate about is one of the great features of social media. Don’t let the trolls get you down. Share what you have; the majority of us are interested.
In order to understand, you must do.– Vic Tesolin
–You can follow Vic’s woodworking adventures on Instagram at @vic_tesolin_woodworks, and while you’re there, make sure to follow @finewoodworkingmagazine.
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Comments
Very astute observations! Unfortunately it seems far too many allow social media to become the singular focus or locus of their activities as opposed to an addition to a variety of means to communicate and acquire knowledge. Prior to social media we had special and general interest clubs and magazines which filled needs. I still find it very satisfying to get my FW in print and read and review all the sections at my own pace in my easy chair. As Yoda would say " do or do not do, there is no try!" You need to do more than "just" social media. Keep up your good work!
I have no social media, having gotten off it years ago. That said, I cruise the forums and comment once in a while... not quite like social media in the broad sense. I'm very particular and specific about where I go on the www.
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