DIY ethic

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. Arguably since the 1970's; emerging punk bands began to record their music, produce albums and merchandise, distribute their works and often performed 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

• Anarcho-punk
• Basement show
• Bomb The Music Industry!
• Bricolage
• Cassette culture
• Crass
• D.I.Y. or Die: How to Survive as an Independent Artist
• DIY culture
• Subway show
• Guerrilla gig
• Homebuilt aircraft
• Make (magazine)
• Remodernist Film
• Self-publishing
• Underground comix
• White box (computer hardware)