In most cultures, counter or mainstream, there are gatekeepers. These gatekeepers function in a number of ways, but their primary responsibility is generally to hold those functioning within the culture accountable. In many cultures, this is a responsibility primarily performed by writers. Writers and journalists have long been at the forefront of critical thought, performing a duty that is highly necessary if a culture is to thrive.
An example of this is clearly evident in two of today’s most relevant counter cultures, surfing, and skateboarding. Surfing has long valued surf writers and journalist as they have become cultural gatekeepers, proponents, and critics and because of this surfing has maintained a robust culture that is engrained in both the counter and mainstream. Form localism to environmentalism, surf writers have often been the voice for not only our internal dialogue but also in what we present to the public. Unfortunately, snowboarding, one of my lifelong pursuits, isn’t blessed with this same trove of gifted storytellers. Or maybe the sport just never emphasized it. Let me explain.
Because of this trust and respect in regards to surf journalism and writing, a number of surf writers have gone on to become successful outside of the relatively small and insular world of surf magazines and websites. This list includes Pulitzer Prize-winner William Finnegan, author Matt Warshaw, and everyone’s favorite provocateur, Chas Smith. Surfing has prioritized the development of writers, and because of this both surfing and surf culture has advanced, grown, and stayed relevant.
Skateboarding while not as literary as surfing, certainly has its fair share of writers that have contributed greatly to both the success and rich culture associated with skateboarding. While often taking a less refined approach than surf writers, there is still no doubt that skateboard writers have tightly held the reins on what is, and what is not, acceptable and cool within skateboarding.
Writers like Chris Nieratko, Dave Carney, Jake Phelps and Rob Brink, have all played a significant role in keeping skateboarding guarded, both protecting it from itself and the outside world’s influence. While skateboarding has become a worldwide lifestyle and activity, it stays culturally relevant in part because of the writers who protect its identity and foster its growth in a way that’s true to its core ideals. Because they have been able to develop their critical thinking abilities through cultural critique, each has become well known outside of skateboarding, this allows them to have a voice in how skateboarding is perceived by the outside world.
My first full-time writing job required me to move halfway across the country. I dropped out of journalism school. I left my friends and drove starry-eyed through a number of states excited for the opportunity to advance my writing and finally realize my dream of working for a snowboard magazine. Upon my arrival, I quickly learned that my position was going to be more about appeasing advertisers than writing thought-provoking stories about snowboarding and its culture.
The magazine’s new editor-in-chief, who was actually a photographer, looked at me one day early into my tenure and said frankly, “people don’t read snowboard magazines, they just look at the pictures.” With one sentence I knew that I would never be pushed as a writer within the snowboard industry. This was crushing. I had been reading snowboard magazines from cover to cover for over 20 years at that point, devouring the culture.
Shortly after, it dawned on me that there are two types of “snowboard writers,” those that are actually writers who snowboard and those that snowboard and fall into writing roles because they want to be associated with the perceived coolness of the snowboard industry. I can’t fault the former, the illustrious life of partying and traveling probably sounds appealing to every young snowboarder with industry aspirations. However, the lack of writers who snowboard has undoubtedly been a player in the blandness and ultimate lack of snowboard culture.
This doesn’t take away from the act of snowboarding that has always remained the same, but the lack of critical analysis by critical writers has left us with a culture that hasn’t felt progressive and hasn’t really evolved much in the last twenty years. Some would say that not much interesting happens in snowboarding, but I don’t believe that to be true. I would counter that many interesting things have happened in the sport, but most of the major media outlets are too afraid to write about them because of the seriously-limited advertising dollars available.
When Burton was forcing minimum orders on core shops, stunting the growth of smaller brands and ultimately putting shops in a tough place because of their willingness to sell direct and to sporting good chains, no one said anything. Core shops are the lifeblood of our culture, without the core shops, all we have is marketing incentives. We don’t challenge the manufacturing standards of outerwear and hardgoods brands, we don’t talk about how there are few if any people of color in leadership roles, and we certainly did a less than adequate job of offering a thoughtful analysis of Terje Haakonsen’s homophobic comments.
These are just a few of the issues that certainly could have been investigated, developed and analyzed. If they had been, especially by the big three magazines at the time, it would have shown that we are invested in the health of our lifestyle and culture. When an industry is so insular and incestuous it’s often hard to hold those within it accountable, but accountability is a key to keeping things moving in the right direction, it’s a key to vibrancy and growth.
I’m sure some will read this and point the finger back at me, claiming it’s coming from a place of ego or wanting more relevance in my own work. And for many years that would have been true, but as I’ve gotten older and my interest in subjects outside of snowboarding have grown, snowboarding has become only a part of a diverse range of interests that I cherish and write about. I’m still concerned about our future, though, and I challenge those reading to think about who will carry the torch for the next generation. Should we have competent and critical culture enthusiasts or should the few remaining media sources simply hire those with connections to the industry knowing that they will eventually move on to marketing jobs?
I would suggest we foster a new generation of writers, thinkers, gatekeepers. Help them to develop poignant and passionate voices and allow them to challenge the norms of our industry. Maybe then one of our own can go on to write a New York Times bestseller or win a Pulitzer, introducing the world to the true beauty of snowboarding. For the last ten years, while working in the snowboard industry, I’ve constantly heard murmurs about how the Olympics and X-Games offers a poor representation of actual snowboarding to the masses. But when our greatest voices are constantly relegated to posting social media updates about said contests, how will the masses ever really learn about the true essence of our sport.
