What We're About |
CreativitySkateboarding for many people is used as an expressive outlet. Many artists and individuals alike enjoy drawing and designing their own griptape (the sandpaper on top of the skateboard). Many people who create art for a living have their art depicted as graphics on the bottom of skateboard decks for skateboard companies and sometimes even shop decks (shop decks are skateboard decks that are only sold at specific local skate shops). Beyond that, people have their own "style" of skateboarding which consists of what they wear, what they skate, how they skate, etc.
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IndividualitySkateboarding communities have an extremely wide range of whacky, zany characters that are all pulled together by one commonality, the love of skateboarding. It truly does not matter whether you dress to impress or simply don't change clothes for a couple days. You don't have to keep up with the "trends" of skateboarding to be looked upon as credible. On the flip side, if you enjoy being trendy such as cuffing your pants and "sex-change tricks", (body-varial motions over your skateboard), it isn't looked down upon in the slightest. The skateboarding community truly values individuality and "being yourself".
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The "Fuck-It" Mentality |
No Hierarchy & Inclusion |
The "Fuck-It Mentality" is something that almost all skateboarders have at least to some degree. Some people, such as professionals, have a lot stronger Fuck-It Mentality and are able to overcome strong mental barriers such as the fear of jumping down something big or trying a new trick. The Fuck-It Mentality allows you to overcome these fears and progress on your skateboarding abilities. The Fuck-It Mentality is often referred to as "sending it". "Sending it" means attempting a trick regardless of the negative possibilities that can play out from performing the trick. This mentality also means pushing your luck with how many times you can attempt a certain trick without hurting yourself, getting kicked out of a spot, or breaking your board. If you feel really uncomfortable when you're around people that don't follow the rules, then the skateboarding culture might not be the best community for you. It is extremely possible to be a rule follower and still skateboard. However, if you begin policing people around then you will most likely be looked at as a nuisance. Skateboarding is all about saying "Fuck It" and taking risks.
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There is no observable power structure within the Lansing Skateboarding Community. When asked how the group is structured, locals responded with "a lack of one" and then followed their with a chuckle. There might be levels of skill that goes with skateboarding, but even that is fairly hard to judge. Some people are better at certain aspects of skateboarding than others and vice versa. This often times makes it harder to label people as "more skilled" within the community. Furthermore, has a general amount of respect for each other regardless of race, age, gender, skill, etc. If you want to gain more credibility then, as Jared Pauli local skater puts it "Be a nice person and just rip. Don't be a dick..." (Interview with Jared Pauli). Locals hold the true authority, unlike people of "legitimate authority" such as cops and security guards who hold faux authority. People who are constantly at the skatepark and in the streets ripping have the most respect among the community. There are some smaller friend groups within the community because a lot of the locals grew up skating together, while others are only here for smaller amounts of time to finish job and school requirements. However, that has no effect on the respect that everybody shares with each other. When asked to describe the community, a newer member of the community responded "Super fucking accepting. Everybody that I've met at the skatepark and otherwise, has been super fucking accepting." (Interview with Jared Pauli).
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The VocabularyThe skateboarding community definitely has a dialect that comes with being involved within the community. The community has a type skate lingo such as trick names, names for skate spots, obscure adjectives, reference to police, etc. Though there is no "correct form of speech" within the community, but the most common forms of communication is done with an improper, unprofessional tone. Vulgarity is also very common which goes with the casual forms of speech.
Examples: "Hubba"- a ledge that stays parallel alongside stairs "Handrail"- a larger rail that is not meant to be skated "Kicker"- ramp with a drop at the end "Buttery"- any feature that grinds/slides smoothly "Steezy"- looks good "Clean"- a very "proper" and aesthetically pleasing trick "Fucked"- big/scary/cool trick or feature "Sketchy"- scary, barely landed it, barely manageable, etc. |