Rawls vs. Localism: A Solution for Fair Surfing

Aloha!

Spoiler alert:

This issue is about how John Rawls’s theory of justice can solve the problem of localism among surfers. It might look boring or uninteresting (esp. if you’re not a surfer), but I assure you it’s not.

Stay with me.

(And if you don’t surf, think of waves as any common resource, let’s say freshwater).

This week’s recipe needs the following ingredients:

  • 1 short description
  • 2 enlightening quotes
  • a small veil of ignorance
  • a splash of wishful thinking
  • a slice of lime (for decoration)

Let’s start!

1 Short Description

John Rawls is perhaps the least-surfer-looking philosopher who has ever stepped into a class at any university. Tall. Thin. Impeccably dressed and combed. And with those large square glasses, the ones that darken when they come into contact with the sunlight.

Rawls’ greatest intellectual achievement is to have reached a rather complicated synthesis between liberalism and socialism. In philosophical terms, he showed that meritocracy is flawed if there aren’t equal opportunities for all.

Simply put:

It’s unjust to only take & not give if you’re born better off than the rest.

Let’s see how he reached that conclusion.

We’re all born in different surfing spots:

  • Some are extremely lucky & get waves every day.
  • Some are not-so-lucky (like me) & only surf every few weeks.

So, the distribution of waves is everything but equal.

Under these circumstances…

We should all agree on how to share the limited amount of available waves.

Here comes…

Enlightening Quote 1:

“Ideally citizens are to think of themselves as if they were legislators and ask themselves what statutes, supported by what reasons satisfying the criterion of reciprocity, they would think is most reasonable to enact.”

So put on your legislator suit and try to define a set of rules for regulating the giving & taking of surf rides.

Let’s imagine:

  • You’re one of the lucky ones: You probably would encourage localism to protect your wealthy environment. At the end of the day, these are YOUR waves.
  • You’re one of the not-so-lucky ones: You probably would encourage sharing others’ waves but not the ones at your local spot. At the end of the day, there are SO FEW waves.

You start seeing the problem, right? Selfishness on both sides.

Outcome: 

  1. Localism everywhere.
  2. Those who had an advantage will keep receiving more.
  3. Those worse off will keep being the least advantaged.

But Rawl’s already thought that this would be the outcome.

So he wrote the…

Enlightening Quote 2:

“The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.”

…with which he created a thought experiment called:

The Veil of Ignorance

Imagine that you are back floating in your mother’s womb. You have not the slightest idea of where are you going to be born. Then you ask “your self”:

  • Will you win the life lottery & be among the lucky ones?
  • Will you lose & end up in a land-locked country, like my friend John?

That’s the veil of ignorance. Not knowing anything of that. And then try to regulate the stoke for everybody.

This helps eliminate bias and ensures fairness for all members of the surfing community.

The underlying idea is that if people don’t know their own socioeconomic status, race, gender, etc., they will create a society that benefits everyone equally.

A Splash Of Wishful Thinking

How do you imagine your ideal society? With the veil of ignorance on, of course.

Mine is one where fair play is king. Where everybody only needs their ethics to restrain from being overtly selfish. Not much different to Rawls’.

But I am not candid:

Communities need some regulating mechanisms: Rules.

Surfing etiquette is quite simple.

It all comes down to 1 golden rule:

Outcome:

  1. Localism everywhere.
  2. Those who had an advantage will keep receiving more.
  3. Those worse off will keep being the least advantaged.

“One wave, one surfer (🌊=🏄‍♀️).”

So, now that you know how to regulate the stoke with the Rawlsian theory of justice:

  • Let some waves pass for the ones learning.
  • Welcome the visiting surfers, just talk to them.
  • Respect the locals when you’re on a surf trip, and talk also to them.
  • Share the stoke (and maybe this newsletter about John Rawls).

Let’s all strive for a surfing community that is built on:

🌊 – Embracing the beauty & diversity of different surf spots.

🤝 – Welcoming visitors & newcomers with open arms.

🗣️ – Engaging in positive & uplifting conversations.

🤙 – Encouraging a friendly & supportive atmosphere.

🏄‍♂️ – Sharing waves & respecting each other’s space.

🌺 – Embracing the spirit of Aloha both in & out of the water.

By promoting unity and respect, we can create an environment where all surfers can enjoy the waves and the vibrant surfing culture.

Together, let’s create a positive and inclusive surfing experience for everyone.

TL; DR

If you had to decide how to distribute waves not knowing where you would be born, you surely would encourage a more welcoming surfing attitude, where you would share your waves & expect others to share theirs.

A Slice Of Lime (For Decoration)

To The PhiloSurfer Club!

Cheers!

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