Introduction
One of the most elementary aspects of skateboarding as pastime activity for some and a sport for others is that it is constantly evolving. It is because of this aspect that the sport is relatively widespread. Because of this aspect, the skateboarding has a quintessential aspect that makes it unique. One cannot argue that such progression is important to the activity that is skateboarding. This is evidenced by the development of difficult and increasingly complex tricks that have been developed across many generations. The media plays a very important role in defining and redefining the identity of a skateboarder.
This is done through photographs, videos, posters, magazines and websites. Through the media, skateboarding is associated with other cultural activities synonymous with the youth like fashion, music and extreme sports. Through the representation by the media, skateboarders are seen to have a collective autonomy and freedom from constraints. They are depicted to have an attitude that is expressive, individualistic and flexible as opposed to conformist and rigid. However, this group is misrepresented in the notion that they have no freedom and have a straightforward homology in their music and fashion brand names.
Discussion
One of the forms of representations of skateboarding is in the form of a movie. The movie, Lords of Dogtown, turn the sport of skateboarding upside down. From the representation of the movie, skateboarding appears hurtful. In the plot of the movie, a group of skateboarders from humble beginning reinvent the sport against the wishes of their sponsors and established skateboarders. In this version of the sport, there is utter lack of freedom, fun and enthusiasm. The representation of the sport in the movie is in the negative light. The director of the movie uses actors who look more like they are posing as opposed to acting.
Our expected response to this representation is awe. One would wonder why anyone would take a skateboard and engage in the activity given the lack of enthusiasm, fun and the imminent danger of crippling oneself. Gifford (22), reports to the contrary view. In his book, the author presents an array of safety measure that the youth use when skateboarding. Ranging from helmets to knee and elbow caps, skateboarders are well padded to prevent serious injuries. The author does also caution that the safety measures do not negate the fact that accidents still happen, a phenomenon that is common even in games that are perceived to be relatively safe. The author also reports that the sport is considered to be thrilling, contrary to the notion represented in the movie.
This is inappropriate given that this movie was shot after another documentary under the same name that showed their audience all they needed to know about the sport of skateboarding. This shows the negative perception of the director and the scriptwriter towards skateboarding. Additionally, the representation of skateboarding in this movie is largely inaccurate. Firstly, since the start of X Games, the sport of skateboarding is held in high regard. Secondly, skateboarders wear protective clothing in order to shield themselves from serious injuries. Thirdly, skateboarders exercise a lot of freedom in the development of their stunts and tricks. This is contrary to the representation of the sport by the movie.
In his article, Buckingham & Willet (1) narrates of the ambiguities that arise when amateur video producers depict the sub cultural capital within skateboarding. While the author acknowledges the importance of visual representation, he adds that the wrong representation damages the present information about the sport. This article looks at the visual representation of skateboarding I contrast with the self-representation by skateboarders. Being a scholarly article, the author might be biased in that he wants to prove his thesis. However, the author collaborate his arguments with excerpts from other authors. Given the representation by the movie Lords of Dogtown, the sentiments voiced by Buckingham (1) acquire merit. Magazines are other forms of representation of skateboarding. A very popular skateboarding magazine in the United Kingdom is the Sidewalk Skateboard Magazine.
This magazine was established in 1995, and in all its issues, it has represented skateboarding as an ever evolving sport. Through photography, the magazine has kept its readers updated on the latest trends in the sport. Additionally, since its inception, the magazine has run pieces that trace the origin of the sport. All through, the magazine has not only depicted the sport as a sub-culture of the youth, but also an important pastime activity. According to Moore (7), skateboarding is an important sport and part of a subculture for the youth. In her ethnographic study, Moore used scientific methods to collect data on the skateboarding culture. Her scientific methods were valid and the data collection methods were reliable. She found that over time, the sport has evolved to improve the quality of execution of moves. The study also found that the sport is more synonymous with the youth.
The editor of the magazine represents the sport in a positive light. Through the changes since its inception, the magazine has endured forces in the industry to remain as the longest running magazine in the United Kingdom. During this long period, the magazine has provided insights into the sport, commentated and given voice to some of the highest rated skateboarding personalities in the United Kingdom. I reckon that the representation of skateboarding by the editor of the magazine is accurate. The editor of the magazine from time to time publishes large and high quality action shots that display the freedom in creativity and originality depicted by skateboarders in the United Kingdom. The magazine also shows the diverse inclinations of different skateboarders in terms of fashion and music. In the interview with twenty five of the biggest personalities in skateboarding, the editor exposes the rich variety in their inclinations towards music and fashion.
Conclusion
Skateboarding is seen by some as an extreme sport. While it is arguable that the sport is relatively dangerous compared to other sports, it is fallacious to argue that skateboarders lack freedom, fun and enthusiasm. While this is the notion represented in the movie, Lords of Dogtown, the representation of the Sidewalk Skateboarding Magazine and the arguments from the three sources negate this notion.
Works cited
Buckingham, David & Willett, Rebekah. Video Cultures: Media Technology and Amateur Creativity. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 2009. Print.
Gifford, Clive. Skateboarding. London: Evans, 2010. Print.
Moore, Linda. An Ethnographic Study of the Skateboarding Culture. The Sport Journal. 12. 4. (2009). 1-14. Print.
