"Someone experiencing personal uncertainty might find herself wondering, “Who am I,..."

“Someone experiencing personal uncertainty might find herself wondering, “Who am I, really?”Adolescents may search for the answer to this question by trying on different clothing styles and social groups, perhaps going through a straight-A student phase, a rebellious skateboarding phase, and an apathetic stoner phase, in an effort to see which identity feels the truest.”

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Existential uncertainty and religion, Holly R.Engstrom KristinLaurin (2020)

I share this quote not because I think it is edifying and speaks to a truth. No, not at all. I share because it made me laugh. Despite skateboarding being in the olympics, despite both adult men and women having careers that span decades, despite progressive politics in skateboarding dealing with issues of race, sexuality, suicide, gender identity, substance abuse, and disability… we still get stuff like this.

Skateboarding as a handy trope to describe a phase.