Whilst skateboarding at my local stomping ground this summer, I was hit with a particularly memorable quote from a fellow wood pusher. The evening was particularly warm and still, with at least twenty teenagers gliding over the park’s concrete terrain as if it were as simple as walking. The session was in full swing and everyone cheered as we watched a youngster, no older than twelve, complete his first disaster stall on the nearest quarter pipe.
From inside the abyss of an ever stretching grin, a boarder next to me pronounced: “You know why I love skateboarding so much? It’s one of the only things in life where commercialisation and money doesn’t f**king matter.” I couldn’t help but smile right back at him, because he was absolutely right. Everyone was showing their respect and admiration for this youth. Not because of the clothes he was wearing, how cool he looked or the brands he supported – but because of the way he was creating. As I looked around I realised that all of the people here, who came from completely different generations, backgrounds and ‘scenes’, had all been united simply by the desire to express themselves, which in our generation is becoming an increasingly rare thing.
‘Comfort shopping’ seems to be the tagline pinned to every university fresher, as they blow the remains of their university loan on the TV / iPhone / Nintendo Wii they assure themselves they need to stay happy for the next term. I won’t rant on about the consumer nature of our society, as I’m sure you’re already aware of it – but it frightens me to think that people can no longer find a feeling of content elsewhere.
As a skateboarder, writer and photographer, my outgoings are relatively minor. You could be living on the dole and still pursue all the same hobbies as me. Yet for their simplistic costs, their scope for exploration is remarkable. I’m constantly finding something new and experimenting with avenues that I haven’t tried before – and the result is always an artistic creation that is mine alone. Nobody can push a skateboard the exact same way as me; likewise no-one can capture a moment on camera precisely as I do. This independence and constant improvement gives a high that will never fade over time – if anything, it seems to only get stronger.
Regardless, if you’re exploring art, music, photography, or even something like gardening or skateboarding, make sure you hold onto it dearly. The enjoyment that you’re soaking up is as pure as you will ever find and those who buy themselves happiness are only prolonging their next big hit. Expression costs nothing. Flaunt it for all its worth.
WHAT TO DO NOW?