Surf culture is portrayed alternately in movies as laid-back, open, and spiritual; intensively competitive; or sometimes obsessive. Which portrayal is accurate? Are surfers good, caring, generous souls with a deep emotional connection to nature? Is there one set of primary “surfer” characteristics? If so, does it mean that a certain type of person is drawn to the sport, or does the sport itself mold character?
The question here is, “Can surfing make you a better person?” The occasional foray into some swells on a paddleboard is not likely to effect a significant change in your personality, but many hardcore surfers tell of life-altering experiences in the water that helped to shape them into the people they are today. The feeling of oneness with nature — together with a grasp of the fragility and insignificance of human life in relation to the awesome power of the ocean – can provide a sense of awe and perspective. It can humble the ego and make a person consider what is truly important in life.
The stereotype of surfers being accepting and open-minded may result from the fact that surfing takes you places in search of the best waves. People with a passion for the sport may travel from place to place, meeting people from around the world and experiencing life from others’ perspectives, and expanding their minds and hearts in the process.
Furthermore, as athletes who spend a good part of their lives literally immersed in nature, many surfers tend to develop a strong environmental consciousness. A love of the ocean and the creatures who share it leads to an awareness of the destruction that human beings can wreak, and a desire to protect and nurture the natural world.
Unfortunately, perfectionism, one-upsmanship, greed, and narcissism can also be found within surf culture. In the mid-1960s, a term was even coined to describe pushy, territorial, supercilious surfers: “Surf Nazis”. Although this overbearing, intensely competitive personality type is sometimes found among zealous surfers, they are the exception, not the rule. For the most part, surfing can connect people with nature in awe, and with other human beings in camaraderie, helping to develop a more generous, spiritual character.