My friend Lew started a new podcast, as I mentioned a few posts ago. The first episode with his partner Luke is mostly just talk about what they’re going to be doing, but Lew does mention his feeling of unease with filming skateboarding clips, and the danger of being a show-off.

A lof of my skateboarding friends are in different cities and countries. Geographically dispersed communities.

Humor me while I think out loud.

So, geographically dispersed communities of common interest and attitude. We share clips because that way we can enjoy each others' skating even when we are not together. When my friends share a clip, that is a gift to me and the rest of the community, and I click the “like” button or post a comment because I appreciate that gift and my friends. That is part of being a member of a community. Lifting each other up.

Now, if you don’t ever hit that button or comment, but you post lots of stuff and expect those likes and comments and seek that attention, you are then not really part of the community because you are not participating in it. When I notice this behavior over a span of time, even if the skating is great, I will unfollow that person, because it is clear that they are not really part of the community. I don’t care if your clips are amazing or not. I’d rather see a friend doing something simple (or incredible) than an unengaged stranger who clearly just wants to get attention and some soft of sponsorship. That person is a show-off, and to that person I am not a fellow skateboader but rather a “follower” and a means to an end. I’m not cool with that.

End of pontification.