I have always loathed this “YOU’RE BLOWING IT!” phrase, and since the skate community recently adopted it, there isn’t a single day that I don’t hear it. It doesn’t matter whose mouth it comes out of or what it’s about, when someone tells me that I’m “blowing it”, it hurts. Full of negativity and belittlement, it’s not a proactive statement unless you are one of the rare creatures who thrives off of putting people down. I don’t know about you, but what attracted me to skateboarding is its freedom—no rules, no rulers, no right, no wrong. So, where did this hierarchy come from? I thought this was skateboarding, not a frat party.

We all have ideas of what is cool and what is not, that’s completely natural. The issue stems from how we project our opinions. The “cool-guy” attitude has certainly existed in skateboarding and surfing for decades now—“Don’t be a kook!” I get it, I really do. When a beginner is oblivious to their surroundings and constantly gets in your way while you’re grooving, it puts a damper on the session. But I encourage you to think twice before opening your mouth. What are your roots? Did you pick up a board for the first time and instantly have skills? What if someone barked negativity at you while you were learning, and it bothered you so much that you never picked up a board again? That sucks! Yet, it happens all the time. Instead of impulsively spewing hate, consider giving the noobie some constructive criticism on their mistakes. It’s a much more productive decision—they will realize their errors, you will have spread awareness of skate etiquette, and everyone goes on skating in harmony.

Throughout the entire skate spectrum, from the beginners to the pros, all I hear about is who is blowing it and who is doing it wrong. Whether it’s about making it to a particular skate event, what you have in your bag of tricks, or what your skate setup consists of, it’s a guarantee that you’ll receive hostility for something these days. If you’ve ever wondered why I don’t go to many slide jams, now you know. It’s so simple, negativity breeds more negativity, and positivity attracts more positivity. It may not make sense in scientific terms, but in life that is undoubtedly how energy works. Putting other people down to feel good about yourself is a downward spiral that I want to help people realize and escape. Let’s keep skateboarding inclusive—as far as I’m concerned it’s for everyone to enjoy and it’s impossible to do it wrong.

-Amanda Powell

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