Wow. This is one of the most insightful pieces I have ever read on skateboarding culture and the “cracks in the armor” of its radical, alternative culture. These serious issues need to be addressed before they lead to the demise of what we love.
As someone who became intrigued by skateboarding culture as a model for political change, I have come to realize that the forces I believed it was immune to it is merely more resistant than average to. There are flaws that need to be handled the right way.
When I started my journey I was curious about the possible relationship between conservative ideology and skate culture. As someone who worked in the Tea Party, I initially wondered why more skaters weren’t on my side. There was a lot more to the story, I learned.
First was left-libertarian ideology, which I still believe is part of the Skater Ideal, a source of undeniable, great hope for culture. The culture that allows community and individualism, with diversity and commonality. The DIY ethos and strength that empowers disaffected youth.
However, any time you have people who are succeed in risk-taking activity, you have some adversarial manifestations of strength as a byproduct. Some of these manifestations include hateful speech and actions. Allowing strength to remain while and eliminating this is imperative.
Ultimately, creating community with resilience, creativity, and independence will light the path for a better society. The dream of rising up against oppression that fueled skate culture remains alive. But it will take a lot more work to keep it alive than even the hardest trick.
Leaving toxic elements in the culture does not preserve it but rather places it in further danger of co-optation by corporate forces who will claim necessity to end self-governance and neuter skateboarding’s power. We’ve come too far for this to be our fate. #skatetwitter
@threadreaderapp unroll.
