I'm posting from my phone and tried to edit down quotes to specific things to respond to but it is taking far, far too long to do so.
Just because Crailtap, for instance, has outside investors does not necessarily change any of the reasons why I choose to support their company (Lakai, at least). I highly doubt that the outside forces are pressuring Rick and Mike into putting people on the team, designing shoes, choosing materials, hiring different designers, et all. I also doubt that Carroll and Howard would, for instance, seek out outside investors and agree to a specific deal that usurps control of these decisions away from them. Those companies are their baby, and I doubt that they would do something so inherently stupid. When Burton bought Workshop, in my opinion, the only reason anybody knew about it was because it was publicized. There was no drop in quality, no weird team shake ups, no attrocities in producing product, with the major exception of the Dyrdek's dog boards. However, in hindsight, how would you feel as a company owner, knowing that young kids may end up seeing Dyrdek's shows on TV and want to get a board, knowing full well that your company is completely the opposite of what that young kid will end up gravitating toward if all of your boards produced have a razor blade and 'Kill Trend Continuum' on them, or Warhol graphics? Kids (or at least Dyrdek's target market) are too young to gravitate toward subversive graphics like that... My point is, probably better that those kids learned how to skate on a PS Stix made board with actual trucks, wheels, bearings et all than have their parents take them to get a WalMart board and have them give up because the hardware sticks up over the board and the wheels don't roll. The major exodus and shake downs and difficulties with distribution occurred when Dyrdek bought Workshop back from Burton and relinquished control to another company entirely, probably due to the fact that I couldn't imagine Dyrdek having enough time to do two tv shows, street league events, flex here and there AND over-see a company.
Also, I'm not sure how my language equated to fighting words. I was not internet flexing, I was trying to get you to understand that your points don't make sense. Point blank: just because I buy a cup of coffee before I go skating most times it does not mean that I'm supporting the skateboard industry. The pack of hanes white tees I bought to wear as undershirts when I go skating did not support the skateboarding industry. The gas I put into my car to go to the spot or to the park doesn't support the skateboarding industry. However, if the board I'm currently skating breaks and I head up to the shop to buy another one, any amount of money, on realistically anything, is supporting the skateboarding industry. To be fair, if you do buy Nike SB from a skate shop, you are supporting the industry. I just wouldn't feel good about it, personally.
I would love to see the spots you skate. Judging from your opinions and your reasoning, I would expect you to have a bunch of insane, hard as fuck to skate spots in your spot book or just the local park. It could be one or the other.