Yes, I know, it's a Dig shirt (although they choose to use the cruder colloquial "isn't"). Strangely enough, it's also the name of a skateboard slalom video. But what does it really mean?
1) Literal. This isn't skateboarding. It's amazing, seeing that we're in 2008, but there are still some people out there who can't seem to recognize the difference between a bicycle and a skateboard. For whatever reason, we're all lumped into the same EXTREEEEEEEME category. It's not fair, but to the casual observer we ARE all doing the same stuff. Mainly wrecking property, both public and private, and causing a ruckus. (Keep in mind I'm talking about the perception of the general public here.) Can you blame them? Parents just don't understand. Although I'm not sure how wearing a shirt that says "THIS ISN'T SKATEBOARDING" will help.
2) Divisive. Skateboard jihad! We're not skateboarders! We're not one of YOU. This probably isn't the intent, but at a time when we should be bonding together to fight other, dorkier interlopers (like in-line skaters and fixed-gear freestylers), even the implication of segregation is a bad look. Can't we all just get along? Well, at least BMXers and skateboarders. Heck, given a choice, I'd usually rather hang out with skaters.
3) Money. You know how you can tell this isn't skateboarding? Because, unlike Rob Dyrdek, Aaron Ross doesn't have a Bentley in his garage. Unlike Bam Margera, Taj doesn't own a ridiculous house. (And neither of them have TV shows.) This is alternately a source of odd pride and misplaced anger. Pride in that we haven't been co-opted yet, and while skateboarding sails blissfully into the mainstream, BMX remains something of an underground, whatever it is. Anger in that big-name pros can get hurt and still have to rely on donations from friends and sponsors just to pay the medical bills. Get a pro-model skate deck and you're buying your mom a house. Get a pro-model BMX frame and you're still living at your mom's house. Big difference.
Is it selling out? Smart marketing? Opening things up to where big companies feel comfortable throwing their money into the sport? (Hobby, activity, lifestyle, whatever.) Even if we were willing to take the money, would someone out there be willing to give it? And would it better things for riders as a whole? Chances are good that even in a best-case scenario, we'll never even come close to being confused with skateboarding (at least not enough where it will require a shirt). But given a few recent developments, who knows? Maybe we will.
14 comments:
that shirt is bent. in dig's typical style they're too scared to have a giant 'dig' logo underneath the anti-skateboard sentiment. dig is no longer the diy underground magazine it once was.
Well at least people can tell a bike from a skateboard right ?
I like the rideBMX tee saying "Ride Fast Do Tricks" much more positive statement. And what's wrong with skateboarding anyway? It's cool.
I wanna tee with a silhouette of a BMX being tailwhipped and the slogan "Whip it like Jesus"
deep eh?
tony g - did you miss the big dig logo above the slogan. what's 'typical' about this compared to other dig stuff that you've seen? the last fully d.i.y. version of dig was made over 10 years ago. dig has had a publisher since issue 6. who said it's 'anti' skateboarding? not dig..
si - who said there was anything wrong with skateboarding? dig is probably the most skate friendly mag out there..
the shirt is a factual statement. a 2 year old joke on an old series of emerica ads. looks like your paranoia is filling in the blanks..
anyone ever heard of irony?
I love it. In fact, I'm renewing my subscription right now just to own it. I think "this isn't skateboarding" says a lot of things, a few of which you touched on in this post. I ride with and alongside skaters everyday. They'll get a kick out of this one.
Maybe I am missing what your point is.
Dig is still largely a UK based magazine, in the UK Skaters and BMXers generally DO get on pretty well together, we share nearly all the parks and get along quite well.
If it was meant to be anti-skateboarding it would say "fuck off skateboarding cunts" or something similarly blunt and to the point. I think you are simply looking too deep for a hidden meaning that isnt there...
well i dont think rob dydrek is of equal "status" to aaron ross..maybe if you looked inside mirra's garage you'd find something of equal cost..not that its something bad its just there like it is in skateboarding.
we are right where skateboarding was 10 years ago..the only part of bmx that isnt like that would have to be racing and trails(not dirt jumping events at the 90210..) everything else is juust the same whether we want to admit it or not..
When i first saw this i thought, or hoped it was pointing out that this so called sport we persue is BMX, (riding bikes). Not skateboarding. In reference to the way that a lot of people seem to ride their bike like its a skateboard. i.e. Rolling backwards on flat ground at 2 mph.
How much that tshirt weighs?>
i agree with anonymous #3. I like the shirt. In a time where it seems some people sweat skateboarding so badlly. its good to have a lil reminder. I'd like to pick one of these bad boys up
Orchid linked. Big time Russ.
That's a crappy T-shirt.
Save the ink.
Damn you're starting to elaborate on the SMALLEST things now...
Anonymous Anonymous said...
How much that tshirt weighs?>
May 16, 2008 9:39 AM
can it be drilled out or painted with titanium to save weight?
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