When I started skating in the early 2000’s, the thing that made professional skateboarders cool to me was the mystique. You’d get to see a video part once every few years and the only glimpse you got of their lifestyle was the occasional magazine interview. You could follow your favorite skateboarder’s career for years and not even know what their voice sounded like. Their skill spoke for itself.

Toxic positivity is the perfect definition of what's wrong with that side of skating.

4 dudes wearing hats indoors

George Polous skates likr his dad allows him to as long as he's back for dinner at 6pm

9:43 “Skateboarding requires you to earn your stripes. And the people who end up down the line are the people who really like it. So what you end up with is people who are really passionate about what they do.” I’m using this in a paper, bro. Thank you. Yes, you’ll be cited

Man Joa's brain operates on a level of clarity I'll never have... the way you explain every opinion to the smalles detail is impressive regardless if someone agrees or not

Gatekeeping is pog because it keeps tourists from coming in, changing everything about the culture, and then leaving everything fucked up when they get bored and move on to the next thing. When you are forced to prove you're really about it, it makes it actually have value and longevity. It turns a hobby that's "popular" into a part of who you are that has merit and value, not just a way to make a bag on that KZfaqr "grindset". Gatekeeping is the purity test that turns a hobby into something that creates meaning in people's lives and community in a way no KZfaqr fandom could.

Georges Poilos has that "disable dislike button" mentality

Using the term "onboarding" in the context of getting people into skateboarding is bone chilling. The perfect example of disingenuous HR/finance bro vocabulary; clunky double-entendre, vampiric recruitment firm mentality *chefs kiss* we got it all with this one

I know you say skaters don't like phony people but let's be honest, a lot of the phoniest people I've ever met have been skaters😂 Buuuuut..... on the other hand a lot of the best people I've ever met have been skaters so lets just say skateboarding tends to attract some intense personalities.

Gifted hater has the best takes. Dude is basically teaching a master class in skateboard theory. Thank you for all your work.

Chopped up vlogger monologues set to lofi chill beats actually stress me out. It honestly approaches the uncanny valley at times. People like George are turning themselves into social media cyborgs. Seriously, it's so unnatural and almost dehumanizing. The fact that you do very little eliminating of gaps in speech is just another reason why I like your channel so much.

The reason I fell in love with skateboarding was because I felt like kind of an outsider in school. Not like the “weird kid” but I just felt like I didn’t have anything in common with a lot of people and in highschool, most of it is “clique” based and I just felt left out. When I found skateboarding, it became something I could enjoy by myself and I was finally in the same position to disinclude people who weren’t on my level. Call me an asshole but I feel like a lot of people identify with this and this is how the whole attitude of skateboarding became a thing.

Im turning the corner from 48 to 49 soon....and this kid said EVERYTHING that needed to be said. When I started we were the equivalent of lepers. I've waited years to hear someone put it this way ever since skateboarding started gaining actual popularity. George would have never survived 5 minutes in the world of skateboarding in the 80s and 90s. Gifted Hater you are my favorite new obsession. PLEASE keep this channel going always and PLEASE keep preaching the really real realities.

The only skateboard youtube content that matters: Ben Degros and the almight Rad Rat

Jeff Grosso- " you may own a skateboard and you may "be good" at playing with it. But that alone doesn't make you a Skateboarder!" And if you can't understand that. . Than you just don't understand

Now he can actually make a video where he got roasted

background is clearly a flex of that 7 figure Patreon salary

Working at a skate shop, I was able to influence and build up my local skate community in a way more meaningful and direct way than any vlog style skate KZfaqr ever could. And I never had to get an electric scooter sponsorship to do it.

It's all you bro. You took their job!!!!! 🤣🙌

positivity is easy to capitalise on, people will forever need reassurance in any way possible and youtubers tend to fill that gap. most people don't like change and especially don't like changing them selfs; so getting validation from a "influencer" is going to make them feel content in their way of being. its easier to tell someone that they're doing good compared to telling someone you're doing bad.

John Hill reminds me of a used car salesman

Yesss hes back on the free platform

Comparing dudes with KZfaq vlog Chanels to being the modern Andrew Reynolds is literally insane

George literally started exposing a bunch of spots in DC it’s cool if he Skates them but telling everyone on TikTok negatively affects skaters in the DMV and nothing happens to him cause he’s not from here. the dude is literally ignorant to the community he is part of

I’m all for gatekeepers in skateboarding but let’s distinguish between a gatekeeper and an asshole. A gatekeeper is someone who will call out a kid for snaking everyone in the bowl or tells a kid to not push mongo. An asshole makes fun of a kid for learning how to drop in or purposefully gets in front of someone when they’re trying a trick. Be a gatekeeper, not an asshole.

whole ass documentary lets go

Bro you cannot leave pre-vlog skate KZfaq out of this. Helmet man 9000 Josh Katz, Jeffwonsong, fuckin rich kid Woodward edits, KZfaq skating pre-vlog was rich in culture.

no one is better at analyzing speech and conversation than you, the way you describe mikes mindset has me dead

40min video on George Poulos. Gonna have to cancel date night. Edit: Big fan of George.

As someone who has just recently got into skateboarding I’ve always felt that other skaters were pretty nice or just kept to themselves whenever I’m at a skatepark or interacting with skaters. Seeing people complain about skateboarding being restricted and gatekept while skateboarding was my first step into expressing myself more is dumb.

Why is Steve Smith from American Dad's live action NFT critique channel talking about skateboarding all of a sudden? I'm so confused.

I think my entire generation’s trend has been loving Garrett, John, and Braille at 12 and now we’re 18 and watch you roast those dudes.

He's deffo had his Irn-Bru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍🏻

I started skating during the Ray Barbee era, when I saw Ban This, it blew my mind.. as a black Hispanic kid back then, because I’m old as toob socks, I knew what I wanted to do soon as I saw his part. I would skate every day/night, watch that VHS tape over & over & over again. Watch anything skateboarding, even SkateTV.. yes, THAT show.. anything skateboarding I was there. I saw that era, experienced it, but when the 90s came!? I came.. into my own, that era was legendary. You had to earn your place, because skating wasn’t accepted like it is now.. many of fights, and many of nights being torn apart by sketchy spots, and even sketchier flashlight cops & actual cops. But, it was an extraordinary time for skating.. my point is, I’m so old that these social media skaters actually triggers me.. how tf can you be so sensitive, entitled, and lack everything skating represents? It’s more about influencing, and numbers, not about the actual culture at all. Man, I’m old af. On the positive side of things, Gifted Hater is a fresh breath of secondhand smoke, while he tells truths about these individuals that love huffing their own farts, while being so self absorbed their nose is protruding through their anal cavity- nostrils rimming their nutsack.

A good case for what you're saying about making yt videos that aren't corny vlogs are the old MAJER crew videos. They made very popular videos, but I definitely thought they stayed within the "core" community for the most part. Yes, they probably dropped a few "like & subscribe"s but those dudes were gnarly skaters and it didnt feel like they were trying to play the yt game too hard

I really felt your point when you said that the kid in the comments wouldn’t have quit skating if he actually liked it. I used to go to a super jocky/preppy uni, and whenever I’d be skating a pad or a ledge on campus, I’d always get heckled and have slurs thrown at me by the neanderthals there. That shit never deterred me from continuing to skate, and I stayed getting clips 😎

Great point made around the 12:15 mark about the ideals of skateboarding. It's also so true about the 'earning your stripes' aspect being a part of things too. I'm really not the most skilled skater but I'm super in love with skating. I think it's good for the cool kids to exist too because they really do deserve it. They're into skating truly just like every other "real" (for lack of a better word) skater, only they're fucking sick/badass/highly skilled on top of it

I’m in metro Detroit and I wanna shout out modern, people, and south street. These shops keep the local scene alive and try to create a better community for all of the skaters in Michigan. Core skating isn’t about being able to do amazing tricks and being pro. It’s about going out and being passionate about skating. That’s what these shops do and that’s what skating is about. It’s not about KZfaq sponsors and corporations. It’s about getting people passionate about a sport that is so creative and free. I’m not super great at skating, but I go at least twice a week because I’m passionate about it and I feel like I have a community of people that have my back and want to see me succeed and progress.

I remember watching MAJER Crew and all their videos were pretty entertaining in my opinion. There was actual skating and progression in pretty much every video

This was a great video. I really enjoyed the points you made. I am just getting back into skating (about 9 months now) and I was obviously pretty ignorant to the community when I got back. It’s been helpful hearing your takes on things to help me form a more educated opinion

"Toxic positivity" is a form of shaming, and is extremely inauthentic, it limits personal development. The heights of ones happiness can be measured by ones ability to recall the 'bad times', it's a form of appreciation and gratitude, grounded in realism. "Integration" is the key to confidence, the understanding that sometimes challenging things happen and you have the ability to adapt, because you have overcome adversity before.

The cariuma "team" came to my local like 6 months back and the vibes felt so off. Tyler Peterson was actually pretty chill guy and so was leandre, but they pretty much took over the skatepark in a tasteless manner. It wasn't even a demo, they were doing they were just there to skate. It definitely confirmed my beliefs in cariuma being fucking stupid.

The super positive attitude isn't sustainable because older people see right through that shit and the younger audience who likes it grows up and starts to see through it too. People want a real person because that's relatable

There is another aspect of KZfaq skaters that has always bugged me and it's how they've grabbed on to the entrepreneur hustle mindset. I remember watching old John Hill videos and he was like always at coffee shops and talking about hustling and doing side gigs to get his money up. George, Andy Schrock, a lot of others are the same way. It's just never felt super relatable or authentic to the skate community. Yeah skaters are all about DIY and making their own shit but it usually doesn't manifest itself in sleek coffee shop, Steve Jobs hard on, always optimistic hustle mindset BS. They feel like they're just making stuff to make stuff, not because there is any purpose to it.

dude I just gotta point something out. I'm wrapping up my degree in Sustainability Studies this May and you quite literally understand and articulate the subject as it relates to something better than most people In the program.

Gifted hater doesn’t even exist in this reality , he’s 200 years old , born in 3250 , and he’s tapping into the early stages of the metaverse

Bro skateboarding hasn't been counter-culture since the early 90s

Dude I just wanna say I get a genuine sense of excitement when you upload. 40 minute gifted hater vid after a 10 hour shift? lets gooooooo

I really like these deep dives, deep talks about the skateboarding community that are needed now more then ever Mr. Tow Mater, thank you

skating since 94 and you're the first skate youtuber original & interesting enough to listen to :) feels like having a convo with a smart young skater at a spot/park. i could see someone doing it big on youtube with a 'comedians in cars' type format, considering how productive some skaters are now; hang with a guest & get serious clips in one session

"you don't have to be a corny KZfaqr to be a KZfaqr" George: nods in agreement

My 2 cents: As someone who grew up skating, I don't really understand the big hoopla around social media/KZfaq skaters. Do I watch them? No, but that's mostly because the content doesn't appeal to me, and I also have a very hippie vibe towards skating in that if what you're doing makes you happy and you feel like you're expressing yourself authentically, knock yourself out. But I'm also in a weird position where I stopped skating for four years while in college and when I stepped on a board again for the first time I completely lost my sense of self-worth because I lost everything. So for those first few months, I did watch Andy and John and Garrett because it felt more open and palatable for someone who felt genuinely anxious about practically starting from scratch (I wouldn't even skate the park if anyone else was there because I felt like a chode). I only say that to say this: the "gateway" nature of these channels is real or at least it was five years ago. Yes, the "toxic positivity" thing can be corny and jarring once you're on the other side of things, but when you're in a slump or upset with your progression, people that project that energy can really help keep you going. Like, because of those channels, I forced myself to stick through the discomfort. It's been five years since then and on top of getting everything back, I'm continuously learning new things I couldn't even do prior to my hiatus, and strangers at the local spots are constantly showing me love. I can't say how kids are getting introduced to skating, but I wouldn't be surprised if channels like Braille still play *some* role, and if so, cool. The ones who *really* fall in love with the culture will undoubtedly drop those channels in favor of something more "core," and the ones who realize they were disillusioned will drop the scene altogether and move on to something else. I'm a prime example of the former and shit like this didn't even exist when I was a kid. I don't know. This is definitely a really interesting topic because I feel like skating is one of, if not the only, sport in the world to have this weird diving line that exists within its participants.

I didn't realize before this video that Joa is the only dude that makes any skate-oriented videos on KZfaq without any of the cliches or bullshit. he's created the counterculture on KZfaq in my opinion because he's the most prevalent

I also think its ridiculous to compare KZfaqrs to Reynolds and Jamie Thomas - a big part of the reason these legends have these huge brands is also because they fuckin killed it on a board and their actual skateboarding accomplishments drew people in to want to support their brand. As much as I don't necessarily hate braille and revive, how they got to where they are is through a path that is pretty much the same as KZfaqrs who get a lot of followers in any genre outside of skateboarding. They may be equally or more successful financially than the legends, but that in no way means the skateboarding community owes them the same kind of recognition and respect.

In conclusion: Sam tabor is the nucleus of core skateboarding

Thanks papa tater ! I can use these opinions as my own when I argue with 15yr olds at the skatepark lol. Excited for your part to drop

A 40 minute in depth video, praise Joa

“I don’t even know if people that watch Braille are even sentient yet” Hahahahahaha

The parallels with skateboarding and music in the days of KZfaq are crazy, great points

I love this but ngl I'm gonna hate a few years from now when new skaters are trying to gatekeep and "keep it core" in their last resort / frog fit because they grew up watching Joa

I like the way you go about your hating. There's balance, and you try to do it responsibly. I think that's good, the balance 🙏

I’m really glad you brought up Mark Gonzales’ channel as an example. It is unfiltered but makes me want to go skate.

I've been skating for 20 years and have refined and articulated my principles to a fine, razor sharp point. I believe that your perspective is absolutely money. The cariuma shit goes deeper but ultimately great points were made. Glad there's still people out there of the younger generation that can think critically and understand what's pertinent, and what's at stake, not being so dramatic and reductionist.

One of the reasons why I love the tater so much is because of videos like this. Keeps it real, hilarious, whilst knowing that the world ain’t all sunshine and lollipops....unlike cariuma positivity Georgie p....also the Scientology edit sent me😂

8:50 That paused frame is a violation, got mans looking like a stoned Koala bear.

social media popularity gives you main character brain

It all boils down to “Skaters don’t like phony’s” lmao the most beloved personalities in skateboarding are the most authentic ones. That’s prob what made the crail couch so popular cuz it was just skaters sitting down and talking

As probably one of the rare people who transitioned from watching KZfaq skaters to watching actual core skateboarding content (to then getting my first board), the reason why I've gravitated towards actual skating is because of the authenticity that kind of cultivates in lots of skaters. The biggest reason as to why I grew out of mostly all big skate 'vlog' content is because of the lack of any not manufactured personality. I think the biggest problem with 'social media' skaters is that they become the KZfaqr over the skater, instead of the skater over the KZfaqr; lots of them not understanding their place like you alluded to. Being on the internet has led me to feel more involved in this community because of faces like yours, with you kind of existing in this limbo state of talking about situations in skateboarding, but not having the years of alienation as a social media star for your opinions (as a skater being a skater) to be uninformed

They’ll never understand that the core side of skateboarding is really the lifeline of what transitions it from a hobby to a lifestyle, as you said, the heart and soul of skateboarding. Skating would be weird without the core side. If cariuma approached as a skater owned brand and started being sold in skate shops, the take on them I’m sure would be different. It makes me think of the GX1000 crew. From crew to brand. From a group of friends in SF to one of the biggest things in skating as of recent years, creating their own pros, on their own boards, that started small and got big. THAT is what core skating is about. Not about some outsider big dick company stickin it in with some money to try and capitalize off a culture.

Nightmare blunt rotation

Every critique you’re making about KZfaq is true. Very inspiring path and mindset your sharing. Good Shit 👌🏾👌🏾

Babe wake up Gifted Skater posted

it's interesting that george says he doesn't look at or care about what core skaters do at all and then is confused that there is a divide. like dude you just illustrated the divide yourself. you're in a different lane and that's fine but to say there shouldn't be an us vs them mentality when you don't take part in the community you're representing is wild. i think it's perfectly possible for skaters to be accepted on youtube. they just have to be authentic and have style. i don't know if i entirely agree with you about gatekeeping being a great thing though. like yeah skating is cool cause it's hard and has a tight-knit community but no one looks good being an asshole about it. live and let live and the best will still naturally rise to the top.

thank you. I feel like you just put so many peoples thoughts into very effective words. keep it up its needed.

Probably your best video yet, imo. 🔥 Too many gems

3:01 Yes, Felipe Mota is a core skateboarder and appears on Luis Mora's channel and now even rides for Erased. It's great content from an actual core skater. Luan Oliveira regularly makes apperances on the brazillian Sobreskate channel by Guilherme Abe. Awesome skate videos, from actual core skateboarders who do youtube in a non-cringey way.

We need to a time machine to prevent Mickey Taylor's first investment in that 2013 beer or coconut water company or whatever to prevent his brainrot

street skateboardin is what has made skateboarding sustainable

Some of the best points and topics yet Joa. Great job homie

Great points and articulation. That Mikey impression and the edit with the Scientology music at the end was hilarious

that george guy looks like if you flicked his arm he'd start crying

Thank god your teaching us all some critical culture and sense making, because the way things are going the vast majority of people are not thinking critically about anything much these days just going along to get along

Joa is dope because his takes sound like someone who grew up skating before the internet, but ironically, without all the hate for how things are today.

“A room of dudes agreeing with each other” THANK YOU, had to stop watching Nine Club real early ‘cause of that, it’s hard to watch

Someone said "Skate nerds hating on other skate nerds" and it couldn't be more true

how you can rant on and break down everything so well has given me mad respect as your mouth says what my brain cant spiel .Cheer Joa

Making it in skateboarding is being creative and having fun on your skateboard. Sometimes that’s what your friends are doing, other times what you’re doing is completely opposite. I enjoy watching some vlog style videos once in a while, I mostly watch old videos on the Skate Video Vault channel. Whatever keeps you stoked on skating.

Mark Gonzales’ KZfaq is amazing

I tapped out when George said pursuing my happiness 😄

Love to hear your thoughts about skaters that are always super positive, like Neen Williams. Is it really positive? or is it like a toxic positivity? I see this a lot on instagram skaters, like being overly positive, like it's almost an addiction to be super positive, which can't be healthy.

Aaron Kyro has Blues Clues vibes

The crazy part I started in the mid 80s we had cops, soccer moms, football coaches trying to stop us and sometimes beating on us, calling us (non-pc) names ect. Seems we went from "us vs them" to "us vs us" sadly. Just skate and let skate, talk to the kid at the park in the non-skate uniform, get him stoked to skate not to conform to all the herd mentality, show that kid falling down bleeding over and over how to bend his knees on that grind. Stay punk do your own thing. A little hate creates drive, just don't let it affect you. Crusty old man out.

You have an amazing mind and I appreciate what you do.

Impersonation of Mikey Taylor was fuckin spot on!!🤣🤣🤣 Much love from Brighton UK.

I’m a scooter rider and even I think the skating community needs gate keepers in their sport, it’s what makes skateboarding, skateboarding. I grew up both skating and scooter riding eventually sticking with a scooter instead of a board it obviously took me even longer to “earn my stripes” then someone who just rode a skateboard but I wouldn’t have it any other way, it’s the sole reason I still appreciate and have the upmost respect for skateboarding.

Zero and Baker were the first tapes I watched growing up. We’re in the post-physical tape/disk age, the next Jamie and Drew aren’t KZfaq douchers.

The George impression has me wheezin. Would appreciate a video of just George impressions.

“You sound like a cartoon character trying to sell me a fkin condo” lmao

I don’t even skate but I watch all your videos because your takes are always spot on and I find them to be applicable to almost any sport. You clearly deserve way more subscribers and I’m sure if you had sold out like other KZfaqrs doing dumb ads and clickbait titles you would have 100k+ by now, but as you’ve shown that’s not a sustainable way of creating a long term fan base. Thank you for being honest and authentic. Very refreshing and cool to see