Fear of sharks spiked last summer after a great white fatally bit a 26-year-old surfer off the coast of Cape Cod. The fever still runs high as reports of great white sightings coincide with people heading to the beach.

Yet, we have a higher risk of getting hit by lightning than killed by a great white shark. The myth of the great white, exacerbated by the 1975 megahitJaws, is false. Great whites are not the aggressive creatures still perpetuated in popular media. We're more likely to survive a shark bite simply because sharks don't like the way we taste. They spit us out if they accidentally mistake us for a seal.  

The convergence of globally warming waters off our east coast and the repopulation of seals and great whites after a previous panic nearly wiped them out, means we'll have to learn to share the ocean. 

Instead of pursuing shark repellents like sonar buoys, electric shark shields, and seal contraception, should we consider how we can co-exist with the creatures of the sea? Besides, whose ocean is it anyway?  The fish were there first. 

Fear of sharks spiked last summer after a <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/28/cape-cod-readies-for-tourist-season-last-year-deadly-shark-attack-everyone-mind/kKjIvk6u4BvVhzOpJayK9K/story.html?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter">great white fatally bit</a> a 26-year-old surfer off the coast of Cape Cod. The fever still runs high as reports of great white sightings coincide with people heading to the beach.
Yet, we have a higher risk of getting hit by lightning than killed by a great white shark. <a href="https://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/8/25/6065531/shark-week-scientists-david-shiffman-megalodon-submarine-shark">The myth of the great white,</a> exacerbated by the 1975 megahit<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmLP0QQPqFw"> Jaws</a>, is false. Great whites are not the aggressive creatures still perpetuated in popular media. We're more likely to survive a shark bite simply because sharks don't like the way we taste. They spit us out if they accidentally mistake us for a seal.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The convergence of globally warming waters off our east coast and the repopulation of seals and great whites after a<a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/how-a-century-of-fear-turned-deadly-for-sharks/"> previous panic</a> nearly wiped them out, means we'll have to learn to share the ocean.&nbsp;
Instead of pursuing <a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/05/shark-attack-repellent-safety-cape-cod.html">shark repellents</a> like sonar buoys, electric shark shields, and seal contraception, should we consider how we can co-exist with the creatures of the sea? Besides, whose ocean is it anyway?&nbsp; The fish were there first.&nbsp;

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

Advertisement