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Skateboarding Argumentative Essay

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Skateboarding is a positive activity because it makes people see beyond established ways despite commercialization. It is not uncommon for skaters and the homeless to interact in public places. Both stick to urban areas that authorities will not kick them out of. It may also have to do with the spatial isolation that both parties feel being forced away from the public eye. (Austin, et al.) Skateboarding is not competitive unlike mainstream sports. There is no need to compete because their aren't specific goals to stress about obtaining. (Beal, Disqualifying the) Traditional sports reinforce the social and economic segments of the dominant cultural trends. Skateboarding tends to go against them, setting itself apart by creating alternative …show more content…

Skateboarders were falsely blamed by the community. In fact the skaters had done everything in their power to protect it and keep it clear of graffiti. (Thompson) People go to large extents to keep people from skateboarding on their property. Often security guards and police stop skaters often kicking them out of an area and occasionally ticketing or arresting them. Sometimes landscapes and architecture will be purposely designed by a city to prevent people from skating them as well. (Thompson) Skateboarders are still thought of as rebels by those unfamiliar with the activity. The negative stigma places upon them by the general public has put many constraints on their activities. (Thompson) Many argue skateboarding competitions have a negative impact on the culture. In skating people are only responsible for themselves and if they mess up it's on them. …show more content…

(Slee) Most mainstream sports reinforce capitalist values in students by enforcing elitism in the way they deal with each other and creating an artificial hierarchy. (Beal, Disqualifying the) Unlike most passersby, the homeless actually show an interest and appreciation for the skaters activities. Possibly finding a connection to the spatial poverty of themselves. (Austin, et al.) Skateboarders often display a different form of masculinity separating it from traditional sports focused on power, aggression, and being competitive. It is instead about freedom, and expression. (Slee) Older people view youth as the future of the country and their activities cause much concern. These elder generation does everything they can to control the younger generation. (Yochim) Skateboarding has become a lot more accepted with introduction of things such as the X-Games by ESPN. It rebranded the outcasts' activity. No longer were they called bad names beat by the jocks. The activity had managed to become cool. (Yochim) Some pro skateboarders would define skateboarding as a cult; something the power hungry ceos behind desks can not begin to understand. (Mortimer) Skateboarders themselves claim to be nonconformists. They claim when they do conform it is by their own choice. They see non conformity in

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