I’m riding in an Uber down to San Clemente to attend an odd ceremony right now. It is a 60-year reunion for the deceased SURFING Magazine (always all caps) — a place I worked and essentially lived from 2003 - 2011.

In preparation for tonight — a night that will see me reunited with long lost pals, brushing shoulders with mag heroes and idols while totally avoiding a few industry villains — I got to thinking a lot about the decline of our surf civilization, which I firmly believe is finally nearing its lowest point in the free fall and preparing for its rebound…right?

As I speed past the Irvine Spectrum in this silver Honda Accord with rattling percussion coming from every body panel, I’m pecking on my phone trying to type this to you, hoping to be huddled around an ice cold Dos Equis with an old pal soon. I can see the lights on the dash of the Accord begging the driver for attention. The marquee at the shopping metropolis of hell we’re currently passing is also lit up, offering killer discounts on Hurley, Billabong, RVCA, Volcom and Element. The discount industry! From one funeral to the next.

Sidewalk sales and excess inventory get me thinking about timelines and greed. And how there’s a striking correlation between the “death” of surf magazines and the beginning of the decline of surfing civilization and how surf “brands” are literally one style fits all these days.

Lost joked about it in better times, pointing out that not all surfers were Momentum Generation best friends and that some surfers smoked Marlboros in the New Jersey snow before paddling out, simultaneously creating their own identity. There was no mistaking a Lost guy for a Momentum Gen guy. But today, our options are pretty limited. Where can we go to see some context on what the difference between RVCA and Billabong are?

Finding brands and/or people attempting to resuscitate this industry requires an internet snorkel and disinfectant because the internet is gross without guidance and the local surf shop probably isn’t going to help much (there are exceptions of course). They’ve been swindled into a race to the bottom as well.

But we’re not entirely screwed. There is new growth around, if it can outrun the persistent weeds of yesterday to get some momentum. Think Former. Spun Spirit. Ola Canvas. Chapter 11. 2 Percent. Chamber. Finistierre. Proof Lab Surf Shop. Water those flowers with your money.

One more point: This week 15 new surfers qualified for the WSL World Tour. I am not familiar with any (except Miguel). And that gives me pause. I’m a fan, I’m someone who watches a lot of surfing, I study style, approach and back story…but the only problem with this generation: I’ve never seen them surf or heard of them. Where would I have learned about them? Movies and mags are “dead.”

If you’re wondering what I’m getting at, well, yeah, we need our magazines. And we need our surf movies. And to have those you need the support of an industry. And while I don’t think mags and movies serve the same purpose they did in 2006, they nonetheless give us a place to make some sense of the world around us, a platform and a place to see ourselves without Zuckerberg holding the mirror.

Our trusted voices are more relevant than ever in a world where everyone has a voice and our choices aren’t made, they’re bought and paid for. As I pull up to this funeral for a 60 year old print mag, desperately needing a cold Dos Equis, I’m curious to see if there’s any life for the future. If we’re destined to simply celebrate better days of the past forever, or if the surf renaissance is already underway.—Travis Ferré