Vanity is depicted as one of humanity's original sins in the Garden of Eden because of pride and self-importance.
And there is a reason why. It's because it's deeply rooted in our nature.
Interestingly, surfing exposes all the elements of vanity very well. In other words, there's a lot to explore in order to show off.
Every surfer has their own style, wave-reading skills, power, commitment, aerial and barrel-riding talent, consistency, creativity, and aura.
You can build all of this over time, with the help of modern tools like social media and video content.
You cannot be immune to the waves of a core lord who knows what they're doing; it's too much in-your-face to ignore.
The concept of a core lord is not new, even though it has been in the mouth of (too) many surf fans lately.
However, it's interesting to get deeper into why these nearly untouchable maestros of the waves seem to attract so many people.
What are the many faces of a core lord?
The first thing we need to dissect is the essence of surfing's lords of the core.
What are they exactly? How did they reach that status? Who decided they happen to be the masters of the wave-riding universe?
At its most basic, a core lord is an extremely committed, hardcore surfer who embodies what a particular surf community considers "core" surf culture.
The word "core" refers to being deeply embedded in surfing rather than treating it as a casual lifestyle activity.
"Lord" adds an exaggerated sense of status or authority. So the literal idea is essentially "the lord of being core."
I believe you may follow this assumption. Fair enough, right?
But we can go into deeper layers of this analysis. Stick with me, dear reader.
Here's a relevant detail: being technically good isn't necessarily enough.
For instance, a surfer can be an excellent competitive surfer and still not be perceived as particularly "core."
And the other way around is also valid: a relatively anonymous surfer who surfs twice a day, travels for a living, rides unusual boards, charges impossible and unusual waves, and is deeply immersed in surf culture may be considered extremely core.
The older usage appears to be closely connected to the idea of the hardcore surfer.
The term is usually associated with surfing obsessively rather than recreationally, taking on super hard or consequential waves, having strong surf forecasting knowledge, commitment to a local break or community, free surfing their brains out with distinctive style and alternative equipment, and resisting commercialization.
For this type of surfer, the important word here is commitment.
More than the idea that "He's a really good surfer," it's closer to the acknowledgment that "surfing is central to this person's life."
Also, a core lord does not necessarily mean famous. Underground surfers who never received much mainstream exposure can actually fit very well in this category.
The 1990s and 2000s connection
There seems to be a strong contemporary association between "core lord" culture and 1990s/early-2000s surfing.
Remember those raw VHS videos featuring people like Sunny Garcia, Johnny "Boy" Gomez, Christian Fletcher, Brad Gerlach, and Matt Archbold?
They owned it.
They gravitated around an idea of alternative surf magazines, beat-up surfboards, obscure surf brands, heavy rail surfing, deep barrels, local surf shops, alternative music, punk, skate culture, and an anti-corporate attitude.
So aesthetics mattered and still matter.
Then, with all this, there's the territorialist component.
Localism matters
The core lord is strongly associated with localism.
The stereotype is the local surfer who believes that his knowledge of a particular break gives him authority over everyone else.
It can involve deciding who deserves waves, policing outsiders, yelling at beginners, enforcing unwritten rules, demanding respect, establishing hierarchy in the lineup, protecting a local break from crowds.
A disclaimer here, before it's too late: this doesn't mean that all localism is automatically associated with being a core lord.
There is a legitimate distinction between surf etiquette and local knowledge and aggressive territorial behavior.
Core lords and surf elitism
There is obviously an inherent tension here.
Surfing has historically celebrated the idea of being outside the mainstream, and that creates a strange paradox:
The more someone tries to prove that they are outside the mainstream, the more they can become part of another mainstream within surf culture.
And this brings us to the satirical side that surrounds the concept of core lord: the person who complains about "kooks" can become just as stereotypical as the person they're criticizing.
A plausible definition
So, if we had to define the term that is relatively new to surfing, here's an essay of what it could be:
A core lord is a deeply committed, highly "core," subtly self-entitled surfer who embodies the underground, hardcore, and often anti-mainstream side of surf culture.
The term can be admiring when referring to a surfer's commitment, ability, style, and authenticity, or sarcastic when referring to a territorial, elitist, or gatekeeping surfer who believes he represents the "real" culture of and within surfing.
A core lord could be seen claiming or no-claiming a perfect ride. Both scenarios are expected. And it could be something that simply doesn't exist.
One thing we know: never call yourself a core lord. It will not end well.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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