Replying to Element vs dc shoes...business related

I feel like in the years between elementality and this is my element (the last 2 element vids) element has really really exploded. A couple years ago they opened a store in time square... thats serious shit to open a store in times square. For a while they seemed like they were going to be the nike of skateboarding (even tho I know nike is getting in to skateboarding), but I think the huge success of rob and big and dyrdeks fantasy factory has exploded dc shoes reputation and business in the meantime while forcing element to contract. I love elements message and their videos are just simply superior to everything else, including fully flared which ive seen too. But lately they seem to have taken a blow from the depression it seems like, because they dont seem as dominant as they once were. Maybe their messages to the public like making skateboards with trees on them and skateboards that said "dead against hunting" are too hippy for todays generation. But personally i always liked elements perspective, which always seemed to focus on skating as something you do for fun and the aesthetic aspect to it.

I think element skateboards made a big statement by signing brent atchley very quickly (he is one of the hyphyest styliest skaters of all time) and alot of the skateboard industry seems to be embracing more of a work hard, fall alot, get the shot mentality these days, the same as skiing seems to have embraced lately. 

Anyways any of you skateboarders or skateboard vid fans have any opinions? I think the pinnacle of sking style has already passed, and it seems like skateboarding is the same way. The nature of the game skate which is (i am a human and my skateboarding isnt perfect) versus the tony hawk generation (like how rodney mullen seems to just push a button to do a manual kickflip to manual, seems to also have had an effect on todays skating.

also what do people think of skateboarding in france vs britain? what country in europe has the most skate talent? Apparently eastern europe and scandinavia are blowing up fast, but european skating is a pretty cool scene too.