I maintain that...

[Mile_High_Mark]

Skateboarding doesn't need "fixing," "saving," or any kind of "intervention."

Discuss.

[satori]

of course not, in fact the idea is offensive.

[wilder]

im single handedly saving the skate world. one session at a time.

[dragonfly67]

I reckon that when the snow flies our Mark should be heading to his second home in warmer climes so he can skate all year round and not get stir crazy. The question is too broad, "saved" from what? "fixed" in what why? who would do the intervening? Those who skate set the pace, and what they want should be what it's all about. Are you talking about laws? Media hype or misinterpretation? Is this hypothetical musings or worries on your mind? Do you mean with regard to attitudes of skaters? Preceptions of the public? Specifics about hardware, decks or desgins?

[samhell]

100% agreed............
Skateboarding has taken care of itself through all the years.
It's boomed, it's died, it's boomed, it's died, it boomed all over again..
Skateboarding has an uncanny ability to reinvent itself by opening up the past all over again...
The pure joy of riding a skateboard will never change...Probobly due to it's roots in surfing.
People are realizing that it's a legitimate act.... It's been around long enough now that it will steer itself in whatever direction it evolves into.....

[WillJ]

skateboarding NEVER died...

[Xgecko]

Saved? no but I hope we retain more concrete skateparks during the next crash. I will always skate what and how will change for me like it will for many but the idea of not skating doesn't enter into my line of thinking

[WalkTogether]

A lot of people think the buisness behind it needs to change and I bet someone will take up an argument on that but I consider skateboarding to be as simple as me going outside and pushing around and there's no reason for that to change.

[dkj]

Skateboarding doesn't need "fixing," "saving," or any kind of "intervention."

Discuss.

Well I'll have to disagree with the "fixing" part. We need stronger and straighter axles on trucks.

[EBasil]

skateboarding NEVER died...

Exactly. The angst of a few dudes over the future of their abilty to make payments on the Porsche isn't "death".

[ocian]

I'm going to invent the hoverboard and murder this stupid sport once and for all

[Steve D.]

I'm going to invent the hoverboard and murder this stupid sport once and for all

I'm with yah, Marty Mcfly had it right.

[SteveC]

I believe that our equipment will allways be able to improve...

anyone up for a spider silk board?
with 'on the fly' variable geometry trucks?
running super high traction but still fast wheels.

It's not out of the realms of possibility. we could probably do it now. we just need the $$ or failing that. Time and evolution...

[skategeezer]

excellent thread, Mark, excellent...

so what does skateboarding need?

I maintain it needs
1. diversity
2. variety
3. participation from all kinds of people...men, women, kids from all kinds of backgrounds
4. it needs be inclusive, not exclusive


when I started up International Longboarder and then CW, I did it as a reaction to what I didn't see in skateboarding. Since it's a free market, people are free to embrace or ignore one's ideas. I am grateful that people enjoy CW and enjoy this forum. It's up to THEM to decide what to do next...

and what can they do? well, here's a partial list

1. skate
2. skate more often
3. plan a contest
4. spread the word
5. help others get into skateboarding
6. start their own shop
7. start their own skate company
8. create a website
9. create graphics
10. go on a road trip
11. start writing about skateboarding
12. start taking photos
13. travel to an event
14. post on a forum

I could go on and on...but the fact is that skateboarding ALWAYS changes because the type of people who are drawn to skateboarding embrace new ideas and new ways of doing things...

the philosophy I go with is the following:
I don't care what you're riding, as long as you're riding... (Bill Danforth)

[Mile_High_Mark]

excellent thread, Mark, excellent...

so what does skateboarding need?

I maintain it needs
1. diversity
2. variety
3. participation from all kinds of people...men, women, kids from all kinds of backgrounds
4. it needs be inclusive, not exclusive

Skateboarding already has those traits.

[WillJ]

Skateboarding already has those traits.

glad someone has their eyes open around here.....

[rawls]

there is nothing wrong with skateboarding whatsoever. whats wrong is that the marketing has became so focused on what you do, what you buy, what you wear that "that" has become skateboarding.

thats not skateboarding, thats some sort of fashion trend cash cow.

as far as real skateboarding is concerned
there's nothing to save, because its not in danger.
there's nothing to fix, because nothing is broke.

the only intervention needed is to point out case after case after case of how the marketors and media themselves have gotten into this pickle.

Street is doing fine, tranny is doing is fine, longboarding is doing fine, racing is doing fine.
cookie cutters are not doing fine, cash cow riders are not doing fine. the market is crying for help.

hmmm, it looks to me like the act of skating is beginning to control the market again, as opposed to the market/media controlling the act of skating.

[skategeezer]

it sure does have those traits...and the more folks who embrace, them, the better skateboarding will be...

[turner]

this is from the MOS DEF song
FEAR OF OF MAN

Listen.. people be askin me all the time,
"Yo Mos, what's gettin ready to happen with Hip-Hop?"
(Where do you think Hip-Hop is goin?)
I tell em, "You know what's gonna happen with Hip-Hop?
Whatever's happening with us"
If we smoked out, Hip-Hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin alright, Hip-Hop is gonna be doin alright
People talk about Hip-Hop like it's some giant livin in the hillside
comin down to visit the townspeople
We +are+ Hip-Hop
Me, you, everybody, we are Hip-Hop
So Hip-Hop is goin where we goin

now replace hip hop with skateboarding.......



we just need to keep skateing..... it'll never die if they cant kill YOU.

[Humu #26]

I completely agree with this. If it ever dies down again, it'll just come back completely reinvented.