Through skateboarding, I have an open line of communication, some common ground and common ground is big man. That enables me to travel around the world and no matter where I am, or who I'm with, connect with other young people, and I can have an instant dialogue and an instant relationship based on the fact that we skateboard, and when I'm doing appearances and demos, that's not lost on me.

I don't want to be an object of consumption. I like to get out there and participate because I care about it. It's not because I've gotten filthy rich off the hides of young skaters that I feel some sickening obligation to act on, and make myself look like I'm not that bad of a guy. It's because I actually care.

Everything that I'm really about is being an individualist. I believe in individuality.

Where I'm coming from is that nothing I do is from a sense of obligation.

If someone told me I had to give back, or I'm supposed to give back, or I'm supposed to do these things, I would reject that. My actions are those of valuing and caring.

Kids at skate parks will step up and challenge me to a game of Skate, but I'm over that, I really don't care. I'm all about participating, and I'm all about being a part of this scene, but there's certain vibes I just don't get along with.

I understand that these people are all there to see me ride, that that's why they're in the building, and whether I have ten people, or a thousand people come out to see me, they still came out to see me, and I take that to heart.