Recently, I was talking to a skateshop owner about "kids these days". Us old guys... we spend a lot of time talking about "kids these days", these days. It's mostly a function of skating's recent popularity, I suppose. Too much coverage has somehow blessed us with too many wussy little kids that defected from rollerblading and razor scootering in search of cooler pastures, we theorize. It's so true: Old, bitter bastards tend to do a lot of complaining. I should know, since I'm generally regarded as being one of them.
Anyway... during our discussion, this shop owner quite frankly admitted to me that he had a tendency to be a little bit rough with his little-bastard customers. Sort of surprised by this revelation, I asked why in the good grace of gawd he would do such a thing? Surprised himself by my reaction, he told me that he honestly felt that it was his duty, as a skater, to "harden 'em up" a little bit. Rough 'em up in order to toughen 'em up, so to speak.
Next month, Everything Skateboarding will be running a full-feature initiative called "Spotlight On The Independent Skateshop". We have gone to some pretty stupendous lengths to round up some of the very best and brightest that this industry has to offer, to offer up some tactics and strategies that hopefully, will help guide these skateshops forward on a more sustainable and profitable pathway to success. Why...? Because we all feel that these locally-owned skateshops are a valuable and irreplaceable resource that we just can't afford to lose. So, why not launch a wide-ranging, bold, and brutally honest initiative to help them stay in business...? It only seemed like the right thing to do. And if you know me... or, any one of us... at all, then you certainly understand that we're pretty huge on doing "the right thing" around here. It's kinda what we're known for. And we don't apologize for it one damned bit. We're sorta known for that one, too.
The problem, though, is that bold and brutal honesty usually cuts both ways. Brutally and boldly, we are the guys that will always stand fast in support of the independent, skater-run skateshop. On the other hand: We typically don't support abject stupidity. And that's where that bold and brutal honesty starts working against some of our independent skateshop buddies. Because it's our position that the skateshop does not exist to fuck with it's customers. Not as far as I can see, anyway. Actually, I'd go so far as to say that the mission of any good, solid, and legit skateboard shop is really, quite the opposite: It's actually there to serve the customers. My position has always been that the industry exists to support skateboarders of every age, race, gender, or ability. Not to belittle and brutalize them.
We're not exactly the guys that'll shy away from staking out a position, and standing firmly behind it. You'll probably be seeing more of this kind of message over the next few months. Hey, little kids...? Never, ever forget this: If anyone,anywhere ever gives you crap for being a little kid, you've got our permission to go right on ahead, and tell them to suck it.
I think that one of the great mistakes that this industry makes too often, is the mistake of not thinking things through before marrying a concept. I think that's why this industry ends up marrying way, waaayyyy too many shitty concepts. Like, telling kids that they drink their own pee if they buy blank skateboards (I'll never forget that one). Or, telling skaters that longboarding isn't "really" skateboarding... which is another fully flaky concept that we're still battling, today. I mean, try telling Tom Sims that one, for cripes' sakes. See how far you get when you're confronted by a living legend that's also a lot smarter than you'll ever be.
When we look for leadership on this issue, we certainly don't have to look much farther than our own excellent staff. Here's a brief overview of one of AJ Kohn's pet projects, Gear 4 Groms. I doubt that you'll ever hear him spewing about how kids need to be kicked around a little bit. Even if it might be "for their own good".
So, yeah... this damned industry of ours. Always ramming stupid ideas into everyone's heads. Like the idea that we need to ostracize and embarass little kids for the high crime of being... little kids? I mean, seriously? Let me tell you something: There's more than enough parents, guidance counselors, coaches, principals, geeks, jocks, skinheads, landlords, pedestrians, security guards, cops, old geezers, little bitties, bosses, pundits, politicians, neo-conservatives, neo-liberals, skatepark police, bitter old skaters, and other assorted bitches, bastards,and assholes out there already... and all too ready and willing to 'harden up' the kids for making the major life mistake of picking up a skateboard. I'd go so far as to say that even life itself will probably 'harden up' the kids just fine. So surely, they don't need any additional help from us.
The bottom line is that kids, newbies, upstarts... they ultimately look up to us for guidance. More than we'd probably like to acknowledge, or even admit. Well, since skateboarding has given us all so much in our lives... I think that we sort of owe it to skateboarding to make at least some feeble attempt to help bring the next generation up right. We should probably be teaching them the same things that other skateboarders taught us. Stuff like, "Look, kid... you can be a dick to whoever you want, on your own time. But when you're a skater...? You always, always, always be
cool to your fellow skater. Because that's just the way it is. Get in line, or get the fuck out." There's a practical reason for that, of course. Because if we can't rely on each other to get the right shit done, then who in the hell are we gonna rely on...? Skaters really can't rely on anyone else in this world for a helping hand, so it's basically up to us to help each other. And skateshops are an integral part of making that ethos, a reality. But first, they've gotta practicing what they're preaching. Or, they risk looking hypocritical. All I'm asking for here is that indy skateshops do us all a favor, and leave the hypocricy to the experts at IASC.
Now, I'm not going the high-and-mighty route here, and start claiming that we should all strive to be some sort of holier-than-thou role-model-figure here. I'm a big believer in the Charles Barkley doctrine, which basically says that everyone else is a hell of a lot more qualified to be a "role model" than I'll ever be. What I am saying here, though, is that role model or not... it's still a damn snappy idea to maybe use some simple common sense from time to time.
The hard truth is that, the more that blatant jerks like me keep drilling crap like "self-respect", "self-worth", "self reliance"and "self determination" into the kids... you know, more of that worthless stuff that skateboarding taught me... the more they're gonna stop taking your- or, anybody else's- shit. And, that's great! Because that's exactly the way it outta be.
