Chapter 1. Surfism

Surfism is a philosophy that views existence in terms that correspond to surfing. The interaction between the surfboard and the wave represents the interplay between spatial and temporal relations in how we perceive reality. The interrelationship between spatial and temporal relations is so fundamental to our psychology that we are largely unaware of its influence. Like navigation and steering, their roles are interrelated and yet distinct. As with navigation, temporal relations concern a present position, which is always realised, but never fixed. By contrast, spatial relations are like steering, in that they concern future positions, which are always there, but never realised. The surfboard fin image schema brought these two perspectives together, by rendering perception as a confluence of spatial and temporal relations.

Image schemas underpin conceptualisation, by basing logical connections and inferences on our perception of such physical orientations as containment, path, centre-periphery and inside-outside. For example, moving along a path is metaphorically extended to the abstract notion of a line of reasoning, with identifiable locations along the path providing the metaphorical basis for a connected sequence of abstract propositions. These can in turn be negated on the metaphorical basis of containment, since the principle of containment supports the dichotomy of inside versus outside (of a container). But, these image schemas are restricted to spatial relations, which take temporality for granted. The novelty of my surfboard fin image schema is that it incorporates temporal relations.

But, the fin itself wasn't suitable for surfing. It restricted rotation on the vertical plane, making the surfboard ride so flat to the surface that it manoeuvred like a car. This severely limited the surfer's freedom to respond spontaneously to changes in the wave. In effect, the curvature of the fins over-rode the board's angles of penetration; which all but eliminated the role played by the surfer's centre of gravity. Since it restricted manoeuvrability, the effect of the curved fin corresponds to the spirit over-riding the ego.

Portrayed metaphorically as a breaking wave, the mind emerges from the confluence of spatial and temporal relations. The surfboard designer's ability to invoke the link between spatial and temporal relations legitimises the surfing metaphor as a tool for visualising the spatio-temporal structure of experience. But, the response of the surfboard is also influenced by the shape and motion of the wave. Since wave shape is influenced by the depth and shape of the reef, these features are a reflection of the depth and shape of the surfboard penetrating the wave. So, in a very real sense, surfing is an analogue of the link between spirituality and free will; the wave corresponding to the spirit, the surfboard to free will.

With such a rich spatio-temporal structure, surfing is an ideal metaphor for the psychological processes that influence what we ‘make' of reality. For instance, waves carry energy like memories: the kinetic energy is stored in a chain of orbits, which taper into the depths. The orbiting particles are the wave's memory of the wind rippling the ocean surface. The more wind, the larger the wave, the deeper they reach. When the deepest orbits are compressed against the seabed, the whole chain is squeezed upward, causing each orbit to become elliptical. As wave height increases, the particles break free of their closed orbits and become displaced, either forward or backward of their previous position. The wave thus breaks inside, as well as on the surface. So, these breakages are like memories being released in response to a stimulus.

The whole surf break could represent the memory bank of experience needed to interact in society; the cultural values within which the psyche develops. It would be problematic to include the surfer in the metaphor, because his presence would amount to placing a mind within a mind, which is not only distracting, but leads to an infinite regress of minds within minds. In any case, the spirit of the surfer is reflected in the surfboard, insofar as its design comes from the mind of the surfer who shaped it. On the other hand, placing a mind within a mind might reflect the real life confusion caused by the ego influencing one's behaviour.

By modeling the psyche on surfing, a variety of interconnected elements can be represented, with scenarios representing their influences within the system. Each element is a variable that can be adjusted to change the whole system. For example, the bathymetry of a surf break would represent the serotonergic system, because serotonin effects the mind in a similar way to how tidal variation effects the surf. At low tide, the wave encounters an abrupt incline in bathymetry, causing the crest of the wave to rise suddenly, just like low levels of serotonin result in hypersensitivity, causing sudden over-reactions. As with high tide, serotonin ensures that memories reach the surface to help shape current experience.

Similarly, surfboard design would represent latent inhibition, which is the neural mechanism that screens out information previously viewed as irrelevant. Latent inhibition underpins our ability to deal with packets of information without having to unpack the contents every time. People with low latent inhibition perceive more detail than is necessary. It can be overwhelming to have to deal with so much detail. However, it can also enhance creativity, because the surplus information becomes manageable when combined with high IQ (Carson, et al., 2003, p.500). So, if we equate IQ with surfing prowess, then latent inhibition would equate to the shape of the surfboard, such that a highly responsive surfboard becomes analogous to low latent inhibition. It takes great skill to control a highly responsive surfboard, just as it takes high IQ to control low latent inhibition.

Of course, a wipeout would represent loss of meaning. But, given that the leg rope keeps you connected to the surfboard, e.g. you've fallen off the board and are getting hammered in the impact zone, the decision to undo the leg rope and swim to safety would depend on whether the board was dragging you into dangerously shallow water. If the surfer in the model represents the ego, then the threat of being dragged onto exposed reef would correspond to self-doubt.

Faced by what seem to be overbearing relationships, one is tempted to reject the values that support such relationships. If one tries to find another surf break, paddling across the ominous depths would be equivalent to periods of detachment, when unfamiliar circumstances cause you to feel disoriented. This form of detachment is fundamentally different to meditation, because your awareness continues to be directed at the world, but without the familiar values that give it meaning. Since making sense necessarily involves values, this is as futile as trying to catch a swell in the open ocean. Meaning depends on culture just as a breaking wave depends on the seabed. To the extent that the surfer's influence can be reduced to his centre of gravity (relative to the surfboard), the ego's primary function is to balance spatial and temporal relations. When the ego sees itself as an individual, it is succumbing to the influence of spatial relations, which is like a surfer who lacks sensitivity to the forces within the wave.

C H A P T E R S
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Surfism : Triadic relations : Articulation : Spatial perception : Dimensionality : Periodicity : Semiosis : Conclusion

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