If you aren’t familiar with the ski community, you might be startled to learn that Shaun White is revered and reviled in equal measure. In yesterday’s essay, “3 Things We can Learn From Shaun White,” I alluded to this briefly.
Why, Exactly, is he so Despised?
Watch the video up top! As a youngster of 11, Shaun White is shown here. His tremendous skill and development at such a young age is likely to blame for some of the animosity he has encountered. You need to know where snowboarding came from if you want to learn more about it.
Just a Quick Primer on the Sport of Snowboarding
Snowboarding’s origins in being a rebel and having fun with pals while’sticking it to the man’ are clear. The general public saw it as a sport only criminals and other undesirables would enjoy. Most resorts did not even allow snowboards on chairlifts until the late 1990s or early 2000s.
The stigma associated with snowboarding at the ski resort inspired its adherents to band together in mutual support. You can get an idea of the mayhem that surrounded the birth of snowboarding if you watch the Whiskey series of snowboarding movies. Think of ‘Jackass,’ but 15 years before it was produced by MTV.
Where does Shaun White Fit into this?
Young snowboarding prodigy Shaun White shot to fame at the tender age of 11. Even at an early age, he was able to do feats that baffled even the most experienced magicians, and he hasn’t slowed down a bit since debuting his amazing repertoire of tricks at the 2010 Olympics.
Forget “keeping it local” and “sticking it to the man”; Shaun White is a symbol for everything that isn’t the opposite. He has worked with legends like Tony Hawk as a mentor, signed massive endorsement deals with businesses like Burton, and made $9 million in 2008. He’s so successful that he has his own brand of clothes sold at Target.
This Whole Situation Makes People Despise Shaun White Because?
- So, when you put it all together, you have the many factions that dislike Shaun White:
- Some people view him negatively as a “sellout” because of his wealth.
- People dislike Burton and other large corporations because they are perceived to be overly big and corporate. Since a large portion of Shaun White’s wealth comes from endorsement deals with Burton, his disdain for the company naturally extends to him.
- To prove how ‘core’ and ‘local’ they are, rebellious and ‘cool’ kids start hating on him. If you frequent the snowboarding website Transworld, you know that for every story published, there are 20 comments stating things like “f%$# Shaun White” or “F*&@ Burton.”
- People think that professional riders like Shaun White and other competition jocks don’t ride for fun because they take the sport too seriously.
Last Words
Jealousy is a common emotion, and people often mask it with hostility. Many are frustrated by the media’s focus on Shaun White to the exclusion of other talented snowboarders. Thanks for reading our article Why Do People Not Like Shaun White.
