For Nick, surfing was a vehicle to improve his world. The ocean was his medium, which is fitting because the sea knows no prejudice; it's the ultimate equalizer.
While surfing (like most sports) can be a transcendent unifier, it has also developed an astoundingly ironic and nuanced culture. To a large extent, surf culture thrives on divisiveness.
There are a lot of versions of truth available within the framework of The Social Network, and because the film's major players are have their own relationship with the truth, the story becomes infinitely more engaging.