The Presidential election? Donald Trump? Both relate very much to surfing. So we’re going to talk about them. Illustration: Haro
“Stick to surfing, you fucking kooks!”
I can’t count the number of variations of that phrase we’ve read over the last five years. “Stay in your lane. This is about surfing, dumbasses!” It’s a very passionate, unwavering belief among surf- and action sports-based readerships. And I find it silly. Because our answer to that sentiment, quite simply, is: No.
It won’t happen. That’s not us. No apologies.
And whether you’re new to The Inertia or you’ve followed us since our launch on September 13th 2010, you’re probably aware of our tendency to stray outside the borders of what folks typically expect from a “surf mag” or outdoors-based publication as much as possible. We like to tackle issues that are seemingly unrelated to surfing and outdoor sports. Because, you know what? They all are related. We address surfers and outdoors aficionados as humans who have interests beyond their board of choice.
The day the White House announced the legalization of gay marriage, we made our logo a rainbow on social channels. People got mad. A fellow surfer also took the time to share a personal piece explaining why he wanted to be the first openly gay competitor on Tour. Anger ensued.
“Stick to surfing!”
“You must be kidding. If this is some gay thing, goodbye.”
“Unfollow”
When the terrorist attacks took place in Paris, a literature professor (and surfer) at Université de Toulon chimed in to share personal thoughts on a terrifying event that struck close to home.
“More surfing less politics, I’m (sic) done with you inertia. YOU SUCK!”
“Lost a subscriber!”
Before Gabriel Medina won Brazil’s first world title (in short boarding), we sat down with nearly every Brazilian surfer on tour and made a documentary that showcases their perspectives on the tension and sometimes ugly attitudes they experienced while breaking boundaries for their nation.
We have a long list of moments where surfing sits on the periphery of the conversation. We engage political, social, and environmental issues as often as we can. It’s a core component of who we are and why we enjoy doing what we’re doing.
Because, although we might like it to, surfing does not exist in a vacuum.
And while surfing is absolutely beautiful and brings us all great joy, to be frank, it’s pretty meaningless and boring if we don’t take time to examine how it connects to everything around us. In an interview we did with Kelly Slater a few years ago, he actually told us the same thing.
“Those things are more interesting to me than talking about surfing,” said Kelly. “To me, that’s life, and that’s the world. And surfing’s just something we do when we have some free time. Those are more important debates for culture and society, and I’m just a citizen like anyone else when it comes down to it, and those are topics that interest me.”
We agree. So when the moment seemed right to share ideas and opinions around the upcoming election, we obviously seized it. And we will continue to do so. Most recently, our Senior Editor Alex Haro shared his opinions about the potentially disastrous consequences for surfers should Donald Trump become President of the United States. Obviously it alienated a segment of our readership.
Dan McCabe: Inertia used to be great before it turned into an outlet for hippies and feminists to complain about American politics…
Jim Bagley: Agree. Stick to surfing inertia. Getting political makes you the kook.
Chris Steigerwald: Go back to Canada. Bring your “everyone deserves a trophy” culture with you.
As it turns out, Alex, (who is Canadian and is probably one of the most sincere and likable human beings you could ever meet) has socialist leanings. More than I was aware of, but, hey, that’s him. It’s interesting. And it’s his right to feel that way and share his opinions respectfully. And he made his perspective exceptionally relevant by tying it back to surfing, our oceans, and our environment. Every single human being who uses a surfboard to ride mounds of energy in the ocean should care a lot about those things. As the former Chief Scientist for NOAA, Sylvia Earle told us, “No ocean. No us.”
So “stick to surfing, kooks,” doesn’t really apply.
Any political or policy-driven thought will inevitably polarize an audience. But that’s a good thing. That encourages diverse groups of people (who in our case are united by surfing, a hypothetically powerful common bond) to talk. Ideally, these conversations are constructive, with the intention of understanding conflicting perspectives better.
And you know what I’ve found to be one of the most powerful and rewarding gifts in life? Challenging your beliefs. Chewing on a new thought, considering it, then absorbing its contents just enough to adjust your position on a matter. That feels good. It’s evolution. And while it may not be obvious amid all the surf edits, opinions, and breaking news, at its core, that’s what The Inertia is all about: Bringing a community of ocean and outdoor enthusiasts together to challenge each other.
We won’t confine ourselves to a lazy stereotype. We won’t accept the past or present definition of ‘a surfer’ or ‘a snowboarder’…or whatever it may be.
There are plenty of other surf and outdoor-based publications out there that “stick to surfing.” They will never challenge you to consider how our obsession with the outdoors relates to the world around us in a broader sense. They bore me to tears. All of them. And if you’re not interested in reaching any further, they’ve got you covered. That’s why we exist. We’ll never just “stick to surfing.” We care about understanding how it fits into life on earth far too much to do that.
