Surf Culture
The Evolution of Surf Culture American society is a society based on laws and high expectations. Americans are expected to obey the law laid down by the government and follow the same basic path, which is to go to school and then get a job in order to achieve success. For years Americans have strived to relieve themselves from the pressures of society by partaking in various hobbies and recreational activities. During the 1960 's, the sport of surfing became widely popular for those living along the West Coast. Families would flock to the beaches and countless surfers could be seen littering the coast in hopes of catching that "perfect" wave. However, the surf culture of the 60 's has since disappeared. The ten foot wooden boards have been replaced by six foot epoxy boards and just riding the wave is not enough with aerial maneuvers being the new standard. The extreme sports generation is now upon us. The popularity of other sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding has soared in the past decade. Huge half pipes and ramps are built to launch athletes high into the air, and it is no longer the Beach Boys, but heavy metal that can be heard through the speakers. But while today 's extreme sports culture that feeds off of adrenaline and defies gravity itself may not appear similar at all to the popular surf culture of the 1960 's, a closer look will show that both strive to escape the boundaries of modern society.
The surfers in the 60 's used the vastness and freedom of the ocean to obtain the social liberation that they craved. The feeling that comes with paddling out away from the mainland and then sitting on your board staring into the endless sea while you wait for a wave makes it easy to forget about all life 's complications and problems, and then the rush of adrenaline that flows through the body as you glide down the crest of a wave is one of the most liberating feelings on earth. Bruce Brown 's 1963 surf documentary Endless Summer played a
The surfers in the 60 's used the vastness and freedom of the ocean to obtain the social liberation that they craved. The feeling that comes with paddling out away from the mainland and then sitting on your board staring into the endless sea while you wait for a wave makes it easy to forget about all life 's complications and problems, and then the rush of adrenaline that flows through the body as you glide down the crest of a wave is one of the most liberating feelings on earth. Bruce Brown 's 1963 surf documentary Endless Summer played a
Cited: Crane, Lee. "Snowboard History Timeline." www.transworldsnowboarding.com. 30 November 2003. 2 May 2007. . Dog Town and Z-Boys. Dir. Peter Pilafian. Sony Pictures, 2001. Endless Summer. Dir. Bruce Brown. Bruce Brown Films, 1963. Popular Culture-Surfing. Ed. John Flint. 26 October 1999. Studies of Asian Society & Culture in the Secondary School, Macquari University. 2 May 2007 .