Blog Post 5

The podcast that I chose was “Do What You Love” by Tony Hawk from This I Believe.  I chose this story because I don’t know anything about Tony Hawk other than that he is a skateboarder, so I was interested to learn more about how became a professional one. I didn’t realize he became a professional at such a young age, so it was an interesting detail to learn about him. I also like how he described the stereotypes he received in school from wanting to skateboard, but he still pursued his goals despite the criticism. 

I like how he talks about the importance of supportive parenting that leads to him being able to pursue his passions. While it’s easy to tell children to follow their dreams, I think a deciding factor on whether or not a child actually pursues their dreams is based on supportive parenting. It sounds like Tony Hawk had very supportive parents which I think goes a long way in allowing children to grow up to be whoever they want to be—like a professional skateboarder. I think supportive parenting also plays a role in how he decided to be a father as well. He acknowledges the added pressure his son might feel as he learns to skateboard, but he doesn’t force him either. Instead, he encourages his son to do what he loves, which is exactly what Tony Hawk’s parents did for him.

 

I think the medium of audio works because I have always heard of the name Tony Hawk, but I have never heard him speak or anything. So, hearing his voice helps make him seem more real. The end of the podcast even mentions how his name has become a brand itself. I think hearing his voice adds an extra personal quality to his name which makes his overall story that much more memorable.