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AN ECONOMIC MODEL FOR DEALING WITH CROWDS
How economic rationalism and the "Two and One" theory can help alleviate surf rage
Category: General
Posted by: tim
I have been thinking about crowds in the surf a lot lately. Because I live on the Gold Coast and therefore do a good portion of my surfing among them. And I have heard that various wise government bureaucrats have been brainstorming ways to reduce surf rage, because sufficient media hype has been whipped up about it is a "significant social ill". Personally, I think the vast majority of the time, the vast majority of surfers get along remarkably well, especially on a stretch of coast as densely populated by various species of ocean users as this. But,regardless, the good burghers of the Gold Coast have contemplated installing expensive parking meters at surf beaches, thus discouraging numbers, or implementing a system where people who live in odd numbered houses get to surf one day, and people in even numbered houses the next day, and one day a week is a free for all. Like water restrictions. What a great idea. And so practical and easy to implement. But, as far-fetched as it may seem, I have a better idea. You need to hit people where it hurts, in the hip pocket, speak a language they understand. Thus, I believe it is time we started charging people to go surfing. Yes. Put a price on paddling out. And the price? Two pieces of rubbish and one wave. What's that? You beg my pardon? Granted. To elaborate, under this system each surfer must collect two pieces of rubbish from the beach, ocean or foreshore before or after each surf, and give one wave away to someone they think needs it more than them during their surf. This is based on the concept of "preference utilitarianism," as espoused by ethicist Peter Singer, (as featured, coincidentally enough, in my 2007 book "High Surf" - go to "books" page for more). Singer's position on most things is directed by the quest to provide the best possible outcome for the greatest number of people in any given scenario, relative to the strength of their preferences. Thus, if one wave could redeem an entire day for a frazzled parent, troubled youth, or anxious beginner, then that wave and their ride has a greater human value and thus a larger social contribution to the collective good than one more wave ridden by a flippant or apathetic wave hog. Therefore, if everyone looked around them every time they went surfing and checked to see if they could spot anyone who looked like they needed a wave more than them, they could give them one. Call them into it, hoot their ride even, congratulate, encourage or provide some feedback afterwards, if that's not getting too outlandish. In short, communicate, and share our human experience. Then, one day, when you most needed it, someone would give you a wave. A kind of surfing socialism. To each according to their needs. Crazy, I know. So crazy, as they used to say on Scooby Doo, that it just might work.