Credits: Article and images by Tamim Almousa @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/06/23/whos-afraid-of-the-big-bad-sharknix-on-tricks-cause-sharks-and-peeps-dont-mix/
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Meanwhile, the vague and open-ended “sharks are misunderstood” maxim is constantly rammed down our throats. Miss. Under. Stood! Whose fault is that? Jaws? Deep Blue Sea? Sharknado? Scapegoats all!
Sharks are misunderstood because the people responsible for educating us about them are often (if not always) difficult to understand. They tell us that sharks are disinterested in people and then instruct us to exit the water should we find ourselves in the presence of one.
They tell us that we’re not on the menu and then say sharks are opportunistic feeders. They tell us sharks are apex predators and then say they’re practically harmless. Correction: most sharks are harmless. No shit. We’re talking about the harmful few (white, tiger, and bull), which populate most of our planet’s blue parts, especially those hugging our shores. News to you, huh?
Either way, and with that in mind, consider how most people treat the ocean while out on a day at the beach—frolicking and floundering carelessly, splashing and thrashing loudly, and generally making asses of themselves, almost as if they were at a waterpark. But the ocean is no waterpark. No more than a rainforest is a jungle gym, or a desert is a sandbox, or a biker bar is an Applebee’s.
Consider again that biker bar. The lights are on, the doors are open, and everyone (by the looks of things) is welcome. But you know deep down you have no business being there.
Enter at your own risk. At any given moment, a giant troll, clad in leather and riddled with scars and/or prison tattoos, might succumb to his curiosity, change course at whim, and beeline to your booth unprovoked. This probably won’t happen, but it could. And if it does, you won’t see it coming.
One minute you’re horsing around and having a good time; the next, a monster’s towering over your table, looking at you with his one good eye, an inquisitive gleam bouncing off it: Are you lunch? That’s what sharks do. What do we have here? And chomp! There goes your arm.
This brings us to the part where I try (in vain, I’m sure) to cover my own ass. Marine biologists mean well. They know a thing or two about sharks. Generally speaking, you should listen to them. But when it comes to the shark attack discussion, their biases muddy the waters, so be skeptical of what they say. As you should with what I say.
I’m no expert. But neither am I a shark- hating, fear-mongering sensationalist. I’m just the little piggy who built his house out of bricks, throwing Skittles at the window, trying to get your attention:
There are monsters out there, gliding beneath the surface. Once you cross that threshold, you’re effectively in the wild, where nothing separates you from them. So, act accordingly: head on a swivel, volume down, beach within reach, and please, for the love of all that’s holy, refrain from splashing.
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Credits: Article and images by Tamim Almousa @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/06/23/whos-afraid-of-the-big-bad-sharknix-on-tricks-cause-sharks-and-peeps-dont-mix/