DIY Culture

Is Making Something Shaping One's Inner Self?

About this topic

The question 'Is making something shaping one's inner self?' asks whether the act of creating something with one's hands is not just about producing an object, but deeply involved in the maker's inner growth and identity formation. In the context of DIY and handwork, it considers not only the finished work but how the process of making changes who we are and what kind of 'self' is being formed. This question delves into creativity, self-expression, identity construction, and the transformative power of handwork. Making provides opportunities for self-understanding and redefinition through bodily and sensory feedback that cannot be obtained by thinking alone.

Conceptual positions

01 Formation Theory

The view that the act of making actively shapes the maker's inner self. Through works, one expresses and grows the self, constructing identity. DIY functions as a tool for self-realization, and with each making, a 'new self' is born.

02 Expression Theory

The view that making is an act of externalizing an already existing inner self, rather than shaping it. The inner self precedes making, and the work is like a mirror reflecting it. Making is a means of self-discovery.

03 Relational Self-Formation

The view that the self is not an isolated inner entity but formed in relationships with others, works, and environment. Handmade works enrich the self by deepening relationships through gifting or sharing. Making is also an act that shapes 'us.'

04 Phenomenological Approach

An approach focusing on the lived experience of making, emphasizing the maker's felt sense of 'being shaped.' Grounds self-formation in bodily and sensory experience rather than theory. The 'here and now' experience of making shapes the self.

05 Narrative Self-Formation

The view that the self is formed by narrating the experience of making. The work is not just an object but a symbol of the story 'I made this,' weaving the history of the self. Stories of failure and success enrich the self-narrative.

Talk entry points

When you made something and thought 'I'm glad I made this,' what was it like? What did you feel changed inside you at that moment?
Was there a moment when you thought 'This is the kind of person I am' that was related to a making experience?
What did a failed work teach you about your inner self?
How did you feel when you gave someone something you made by hand? What do you think it expressed about you?
Have you felt a change in yourself during a period when you stopped making and when you resumed?
Is there a work where you felt 'I was able to express my true self through making'? In what way do you think it shaped you?

Conceptual tensions

Formation of the Inner Self vsExpression of the Inner Self

Does making newly form the inner self, or express an already existing one? This tension questions the origin of creation and prompts consideration of the balance between agency and passivity of the self. Does the 'self' exist before making, or is it born through making?

Individual vsRelational

Is self-formation an individual inner process or something that occurs in relationships with others and society? The gifting and sharing nature of handmade works concretizes this question. Is making 'my story' or 'our story'?

Process vsResult

Does the formation of the inner self happen in the process of making, or through the completed work? Consider how failure and trial-and-error contribute to self-formation. The work remains and shapes the history of the self, but the memory of the process is equally important.

Bodily vsMental

How does the bodily act of moving hands lead to mental self-formation? Explore the connection between thinking with the head and making with the body. The mechanism by which bodily knowledge feeds back to the mind and deepens self-understanding.

Perfection vsImperfection

Does a perfectly made work shape the self, or does an imperfect work better express the inner self? Reconsider the value of failure and 'clumsiness' in contributing to self-formation.

Talk note

This theme is for reinterpreting making not merely as a hobby or skill, but as an act that nurtures the self. Setting aside perfection and evaluation for a moment, it is a quiet space for self-dialogue and mutual understanding that begins with the question 'How do I change through making?' It reminds us that the joy of making lies not only in completing the work but in the change of the self who makes.

Glossary

Self-Formation: The process of building one's identity, character, and values through experiences and actions. In handwork, the act of making itself is thought to contribute to this formation. Trial and error and sense of achievement clarify the contours of the self.
Self-Expression: The outward expression of one's inner emotions, thoughts, and values. Handmade works often become expressions that reflect the maker's personality and inner world. The act of making the self 'visible' through the work.
Identity: The sense of who one is, or self-recognition arising from relationships with groups one belongs to. Making provides opportunities to strengthen or redefine this identity. Handwork weaves the narrative 'I am someone who can make' or 'I am someone who makes things like this.'
Transformative Power of Handwork: The power of manual creation to change the maker's mental state, focus, and self-understanding. Includes meditative aspects, building confidence through achievement, and gaining humility through failure.
Introspection: Reflecting on and deepening understanding of one's inner self. Trial and error, failure, and achievement in the making process promote this introspection and generate self-dialogue.
Bodily Knowledge: Knowledge not just understood in the head but felt and remembered in the body. Implicit knowledge such as the feel of materials, force adjustment, and sense of balance gained through handwork.

Talk prompts

Ice breaker

Recall a recent experience of making something. What kind of changes or realizations did you have inside yourself at that time?

Deep dive

If 'making' is an act that shapes your inner self, what do you think is the 'work' that is currently shaping you?

Bridge

While listening to the other person's making experience, quietly imagine: 'How did this experience shape their inner self?'

Further questions

Many people engage in 'self-search' through making, but is it really self-discovery or self-creation?
Is it possible to feel 'soul' or 'true self' in a work made by AI?
How does self-formation change when making in a group (e.g., workshop)?
What continuity exists between the past self who couldn't make and the present self who can?
To what extent is the feeling that a handmade object 'represents me' objective or subjective?
Is there an experience where an imperfect work better expressed your inner self than a perfect one?