Does anyone else hate the growing popularity in surfing?

Question

i ask this because i've picked up a few Surfer magazines at the airport out of boredom. it seems like all i have ever read in that magazine was what pro surfers were doing, what tournaments they won, and clothing advertisements. my point is that i think the media is just turning the hobby into a teeny bopper pop culture.

Answer 1

teeny bopper pop culture? what sorry to break it to you but surfing has been around for hundreds of years its not like its new. Its a SPORT it should be takin seriously like any other sports with media, sponsorships, and advertising. Why should it be treated differently from other sports like football, basketball or baseball? Were players are branded with clothes from Nike, Reebok or any other companies. Then again you picked up a SURFER MAGAZINE surfer being the keyword there. What do you expect advertisements from other sports that has nothing to do with surfing? Maybe a rifle ad or fishing gears. Maybe new addidas cleats ad and another thing surfing has always been pretty popular the media has always portrayed it as some layed back "cool" care free lifestyle. Which is the main reason we been branded by such horrible stereotypes that most surfers are just beach bum stoners who has nothing else better to do in life.

So growing popularity? No its ALWAYS been popular and that hasnt change what has change is the way big surf industries advertise to a wider audience and different demographics

Answer 2

NCVA- learn to read. He didn't say it IS a teeny pop culture fad, he said the poplular media and money hungry ad agencies are trying to turn surfing into one. AND HE IS RIGHT.

I have been surfing for over forty years. I bet most of you  reading this c**p instead of surfing have parents who weren't even born then.

Surfing is not just a sport, it is a means of pleasure and joy, where we hook up with the ocean and create pleasure. I don't resent the pros, I tend to admire them. I wish I could surf like that. Competitiveness is part of human nature, and that is okay. But everybody doesn't have to compete.

I think my biggest complaint is the influx of new surfers (young and old), who don't try to understand the feeling of surfing. They drop in on you, they snake your waves, they get rude and nasty on the beach. The leave their trash behind, and when there are no no waves, they go and ride their smelly wave wave runners and pollute the air in the only place where I can go to find any clean air, the beach.

It seems like every little kid on the beach is wearing a rash guard and dragging around a soft top board, while their "soccer moms" sit around and let them get in everybody's way in the water.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to teach the world to surf. I'd like everyone to be as happy as I can be on a wave (and believe me, as old and out of shape as I am, EVERY WAVE is a treat). But I'd like them to learn it the right way. To learn how to be at home in the ocean. The more and more inexperienced ocean swimmers in the water means the more and more rescues by the becah patrol, which results in more and more restrictive anti-surfing rules!

I'd like everybody to learn surfing etiquette. I see kids who are great surfers, in a technical sense, who have no concept of surf etiquette. This isn't localism, because they are all tourists themselves, it's just plain bad manners.

I'm kind of a blue collar guy, who loves to surf. I don't get anywhere enough opportunities to do it. I just want to have fun, and share the waves with like minded people, not rude yuppies and their spoiled kids.

Hey, if you send in a question here, and you want to learn to surf, I'd be happy to meet up with you, and help you along. But I would start by teaching you how to handle yourself in the ocean, and how to be polite and friendly in the line-up. The technical stuff will all come along depending on your natural athletic ability. And, believe or not, some people will always SUCK, but they can still have fun, and not be labelled KOOK, if they know proper etiquette.

So, yes, I too hate the growing popularity of surfing, in the way that it seems to be going. I wish it would change, and we could all meet up on the beach and go surfing, and have FUN. Because joy is what this is all about.

PS, I couldn't get the spell check feature to work, so I'm not going to proofread this< I am not illiterate. Thanks

Answer 3

Yes and no, all surfers are selfish, we love having the sea to ourselves, and can't stand localism! But i love how so many people are so eager, then again there are the people who surf just for the image, and don't appreciate what an art it is! I say kudos to the people who take it seriously, and pass on the love for surfing to other people!

Answer 4

you would probably consider me one of the annoying teeny bopper people because i'm a teen that surfs and i'm not that great because i only get to surf twice a year...so i'm just gonna say that i find the whole "worshiping" pros and the competieion frenzy annoying, but what's so bad about surfing growing in popularity??? the sport will die out if nobody's intrested so i say urge people to try it...get people intrested and instead of separating ourselves from people help unite people by getting them intrested in something fun.

Answer 5

Well, this problem started here in Malibu in the 1960's.

Now we hve contend with oarboarders along with all the Vals.

Answer 6

Yes, many of us are annoyed about it.  It would be wonderful if the media world stopped promoting the sport.  The problem is, they won't...It's too cool.  The hot bodies that the media really makes the sport look like its all about, the suntans, the smoothness of the sport and awesomeness of riding such a strong source of nature...It's just too cool to ignore and that sucks for all us surfers that hate the crowds, but we have to deal with it if we want to surf.