Are the kids alright? Do I care?

As you get older, you inevitably lose touch with young people. Even using the phrase 'young people' is evidence enough that you're over the hill. On top of that, if you've caught yourself looking at teenagers and thinking 'What's up with those denim shorts?" or "Fucking little pricks need some fucking national service! That'd sort 'em out!", then you're either out of touch with them or just insane.

Kids make no sense to me nowadays. They're running around in Dunlop Volleys and using the word 'rad'. That combination alone is enough to make the entire universe implode with decade-colliding impossibilities so just trying to figure them out is a colossal exercise in futility. But recently, I've looked through a window into their souls via the wonderful medium of video games.

This is Skate 2 for Xbox 360. It's great. Playing as an ex-convict, you get released from jail and set to take back your city by way of being an fucking awesome skateboarder. So far, I've stormed back by appearing on the cover of two magazines, bought a couple of local parks to help underprivileged skaters have a place to bust out their skills and generally been regarded as one hardcore motherfucker by everyone in town. I'm now brimming with knowledge about skateboarding that I would have otherwise disregarded. Ollies, grinds, kickflips and the highly enjoyable Christ-air manoeuvre are all part of my bag of tricks at the moment.

"The fucking awesome Christ-air move..."

"...is second nature to me now."

So I got to thinking. With this knowledge, could I pass myself off in front of teenagers? Busting out terms like 'Frontside Grab' and 'Beanplant', would I appear down with them? Or would I simply appear as a stammering loser who just strings together outdated terms like a moron?

I'm not sure. And do I even give a shit? As far as I can see, teenagers and myself have very different views of how they appear to people.

How the world sees teenagers

How teenagers see themselves

It's an interesting query. Am I being too harsh? Are teenagers today more receptive to the older generation? Either way, I'm not going to bother to actually find out. I've got some skating to do.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!