Do your job as a parent and raise your children to know whats right and wrong. If you don’t, you have no right to judge anyone else’s effect on your child.
If you’re being paid to do something, do it by your patron’s standards.
Was Jensen wrong it doing a trick that involved him pretending to bind with a “naughty” part of his body or referencing drugs in videos?..No.
Was he wrong in doing a trick that involved him pretending to bind with a “naughty” part of his body or referencing drugs in videos knowing hes a representative of CLYW?..That’s up to CLYW. (…and most likely had a part in his resignation.)
Its more individually oriented than I see it, I think.
On yoyoing, becoming a champion instantly making someone a figure to look up to, solely based on that someone skills, regardless of their background or what that someone want to be.
I’m not talking about how right or wrong people with unique background should look up to. Skills and talent almost always unrelated to it. But its what’s make a someone ready, not ready, willingly or unwillingly take responsible of something.
Is that someone responsible if someone else look up to him/her and trying to be like him/her?
That’s exactly where hadoq is right. These guys are sponsored. They are paid for what they do. When I show up for work, I am expected to be clean, be wearing proper clothes, and have a positive attitude. If I decide “Hey, I’m a real man, I’ll behave any way I want , 'cause I’m the poo” then I’ll be looking for work. Period. If the sponsors want that kind of reputation, that’s up to them. But make no mistake, when you’re taking someone else’s money to represent them, you will play by their rules.
Oh, and this is NOT aimed at anyone inparticular, but I love it when people with no kids act like authorities on raising kids. It never fails to crack me up. ;D
This is a response to the general conversation, not any particular individual…
Should kids be raised in a bubble? No. Kids that are will be in for a rude awakening. Should they be exposed to everything that’s out there at a young age? No. A six-year-old learning to yo-yo should not watch a video with explicit music, be exposed to such music at a contest, or have to hang around people who speak and act crudely to learn how to yo-yo.
Parents can and should control some aspects of this, like what internet privileges their children have and what videos they watch, but if their kid is going to a contest then people at the contest should behave professionally. I went to a contest recently and 3 people were disqualified for their music, which contained pretty nasty language, explicit sexual content, and racial slurs. Blasting in a public park. In some places that might even be against the law. I think we could all agree that it was right for them to be disqualified (especially since it was clearly stated that music needed to be family friendly) and that the use of such music at a contest is uncalled for. There is plenty of good music out there. If that kind of music floats your boat fine, but sail it in private waters.
Also the reality is lots of kids have bad parents. That’s not anyone else’s fault but are you really wanting to tell kids who look up to you: your parents are horrible, you are not my problem, so I don’t care enough about what you do with your little messed up life to try to help you out by at least trying to be a good example. When people don’t respect the innocence of a little kid enough to censure themselves at least somewhat in public places they are telling that kid that they are not worth the effort. Many “role models” today promote the idea that money, fame, sex life, and even things like drugs and violence are all that really matters, or at least something you can get away with if it makes you happy.
Kids deserve better than that, and one of the great things about yo-yos is it gives them something constructive to do other than all the negative things out there, it should not become just another venue to it.
There is a time and place to “be yourself” and there are places were we must be considerate of other people. Adults should know the difference.
This is a really interesting discussion for me. Lots of opinions, and none of them are absolutely wrong or right… Thanks at the YYE moderators for allowing this discussion(which is not totally yoyo related)!
On the topic :
I agree, if you are sponsored, and you want to keep that sponsorship, you act the way your sponsor wants you to act. You are paid to represent a company in public. If that company doesn’t like the way you act they have every right to want you to change that attitude OR end the sponsorship. But the choice should lay with the individual. So they have a responsibility to represent the company the way the company wants it. But they don’t have the responsibility to make sure kids are raised the “right” way…
Sponsorships aside :
The fact that you’re a really good yoyo’er doesn’t mean you are allowed to break the rules. So if a contest states the music should be family friendly and you don’t follow that rule. It’s only natural you are disqualified. Nothing to argue about, they broke the rules, they pay the price…
You are right that it’s cool for kids that yoyoing is something positive and constructive.
And that yo-yoing shouldn’t perse be something to add to the waterfall of negativity kids face these days.
But I don’t think anybody has the right to limit somebody else’s expressions because they don’t like that attitude or think it’s bad for their children. It would be the same as telling Eminem he can’t write the lyrics he wants because children might be exposed to his music… And thus all his older fans don’t get the “real” Eminem anymore, but a watered down version. It’s not fair for the older fans and for the role model himself…
People yoyo for fun not to be famous… stop turning a fun toy into something when people who yoyo need to step up and set examples for people. Be your own role model be different
Hmmmm, I don’t expect anyone but myself to raise my kids. At the same time, I see no need for people to act in a repulsive, disrespectful manner just because they like to be edgy.
If you’re sponsored, yes, you have every right to be yourself, and the company that sponsors you has every right to expect you to behave in a socially responsible manner or cut you loose. It’s that simple.