The
DIY ethic (
do it yourself ethic) refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are more experienced or able complete them for you. It promotes the idea that an ordinary person can learn to do more than he or she thought was possible. Naturally, a DIY attitude requires that the adherent attain the knowledge required to complete a given task. Without this, DIY is not an effective dogma. The term can refer to "doing" anything at all, including
home improvements and repairs,
first aid, and creative endeavors.
Rather than belittling or showing disdain for knowledge or expertise, DIY champions the average individual seeking knowledge and expertise for him/herself. Instead of using the services of others who have expertise, a DIY oriented person would seek out the knowledge for him/herself.
Punk culture
In the
punk subculture, the DIY ethic is tied to
punk ideology and
anticonsumerism, as a rejection of the need to purchase items or use existing systems or processes. Emerging punk bands often perform
basement shows in
residential homes, rather than at traditional
venue, to avoid
corporate sponsorship or to secure freedom in performance. Since many venues tend to shy away from more
experimental music, houses are often the only places at which these bands can play.
Adherents of the DIY punk ethic can also work collectively. For example, punk impresario
David Ferguson's
CD Presents was a DIY
concert production,
recording studio, and
record label network.
The DIY punk ethic also applies to everyday living, such as learning bicycle repair rather than taking a bike to a mechanic's shop, sewing/repairing/modifying clothing rather than buying new clothes, starting vegetable gardens, and reclaiming recyclable products by
dumpster diving. Some educators also engage in DIY teaching techniques, sometimes referred to as
Edupunk.
Internet
Technological advances in the last ten years have made it more possible for artists to circumvent professional studios and create high-quality works themselves. Advances in media
software and the proliferation of
high-speed Internet access have given artists of all ages and abilities from across the globe, the opportunity to make their own films, records, or other content, and distribute it over the web. Such works were usually displayed on a private homepage, and gained popularity through word-of-mouth recommendations or being attached to
chain letters (known as
viral distribution).
Sites like
Newgrounds and
DeviantArt allow users to post their art and receive community critique, while
Instructables allows DIYers to exhibit their works and be compensated in the form of
tips. The same is also true of the music industry where artists can use modern technology and the internet to be as self-sufficient as possible meaning they can share their wares online using the same computer used to record with, again, independently of commercial funding.
See also
