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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Respect the ocean? Shark attack

115 replies

bookofnotes · 09/06/2023 21:34

So I just saw the video and article about the man who was attached and killed by a shark in Egypt.

Comments were saying “you need to respect the ocean” and “he invaded the sharks home” and I just think fuck off.

Yes the ocean needs to be respected in regards to pollution, transport, fishing, disturbing habitats. But people (and any living being) are entitled to swim in the ocean.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2023 21:56

JustGeorgie · 09/06/2023 21:55

Op....what do you actually want?

Someone was wrong online and OP wants us all to agree.

NiandraLaDes · 09/06/2023 21:56

bookofnotes · 09/06/2023 21:48

Sharks don’t own the entire ocean. Regardless of risks and attacks, swimming in the ocean isn’t harmful to sea creatures.

Show quote history

Okay, why don't you write a strongly worded letter to all the sharks, explaining that they don't own the ocean? I'm sure they'll take heed.

Or, radical suggestion I know, you could consider that it's their natural habit .

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 21:56

Op, I think you've misunderstood what people mean when they say 'respect the ocean'. It doesn't mean you need to show respect as you might harm it, it means show respect to it because it can kill you.

Swimming in the sea is dangerous and people should be aware of the risks.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2023 21:56

This:

Respect the ocean? Shark attack
Amispringy · 09/06/2023 21:58

OP do you think the shark deserved what happened to it

That was barbaric

NiandraLaDes · 09/06/2023 21:59

Sorry, natural habitat. FFS, I always manage to fuck it up when I try to be a smart arse 🙄😂

IncomingTraffic · 09/06/2023 22:00

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 21:56

Op, I think you've misunderstood what people mean when they say 'respect the ocean'. It doesn't mean you need to show respect as you might harm it, it means show respect to it because it can kill you.

Swimming in the sea is dangerous and people should be aware of the risks.

Yes. It’s weird that the OP doesn’t realise this.

Swimming in the sea really isn’t an ‘entitlement’.

MagentaRocks · 09/06/2023 22:00

bookofnotes · 09/06/2023 21:48

Sharks don’t own the entire ocean. Regardless of risks and attacks, swimming in the ocean isn’t harmful to sea creatures.

Show quote history

😂

Sharks are not looking at a person and thinking ‘what the fuck are they doing here, I’m going to get him’. They are in their natural habitat and just doing what sharks do. I don’t know how you think people being ‘allowed’ to swim in the ocean risk free will work.

surejan24 · 09/06/2023 22:01

Is this a joke?

Do you expect a shark to understand that it's not supposed to eat a human? A shark doesn't know that a human is any different to a seal or any other prey!

This is one of the dumbest things I've read on here.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 09/06/2023 22:02

So you're problem isn't that sharks might kill you if you decide to swim with them, your problem is that someone said that we should respect the ocean.

I think you've misunderstood. The person wasn't saying 'you must respect the ocean by staying out of it', he was saying 'you must have respect for nature and understand that things higher in the food chain than you control that area of the world and respect the risks that this presents.'.

anythinginapinch · 09/06/2023 22:02

OP, the sharks live there. We don't. We are taking a risk everyone we swim in a sea. Sharks are animals - wild. They don't give a stuff about rights or fairness

Catlord · 09/06/2023 22:03

Is this a sequel to the legendary post when the OP had the monk on with dolphins?

I think I understand what OP is saying but respect here has a slightly different meaning to respecting another human/ their privacy or culture for instance. It means to respect the risks that can come from interacting with nature, be that wildlife such as sharks, treacherous weather or terrain. It means that if the man took the decision to swim in water known to be inhabited by sharks, then any outcome was on him, the shark should not have been killed (which I understand is what happened).

It means that humans need to be sensible because we are not invincible and we must take risks seriously, i.e. respect them.

Entitlement is a very strange stance to take. Ok, maybe we can swim anywhere but we have to accept that we are not the top of the food chain naturally, and it is unethical to harm animals for their natural behaviour.

MumUndone · 09/06/2023 22:03

I think what OP is saying is that swimming in the sea isn't disrespectful to anyone or anything, so saying that that swimmer was in the wrong and should, 'respect the ocean' is a stupid thing to say.

grunttheterrible · 09/06/2023 22:03

People are entitled to swim in the ocean.

Ocean dwellers are entitled to protect their habitats

JustGeorgie · 09/06/2023 22:04

@Catlord "monk on" 😂 not heard that for years!!

IncomingTraffic · 09/06/2023 22:04

‘Sharks don’t own the whole ocean’.

That is really ridiculous reasoning. Even for the internet.

They’re sharks. They swim about in the sea. That’s what they do.

Do you also get annoyed at jellyfish just existing and being in the sea, inconveniencing swimmers?

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 22:05

@Catlord

What's this about dolphins?

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 22:06

MumUndone · 09/06/2023 22:03

I think what OP is saying is that swimming in the sea isn't disrespectful to anyone or anything, so saying that that swimmer was in the wrong and should, 'respect the ocean' is a stupid thing to say.

Bit that isn't what people mean when they say 'respect the ocean'.

IncomingTraffic · 09/06/2023 22:06

Sharks really aren’t the most dangerous thing about the sea either.

do you also feel that water currents should somehow realise that people are entitled to swim in the sea?

Eyesopenwideawake · 09/06/2023 22:07

bookofnotes · 09/06/2023 21:48

Sharks don’t own the entire ocean. Regardless of risks and attacks, swimming in the ocean isn’t harmful to sea creatures.

Show quote history

You are being ridiculous. HTH.

wiffin · 09/06/2023 22:09

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 22:05

@Catlord

What's this about dolphins?

Dolphins are bastards. Or something along those lines. Which to be fair they can be.

JandalsAlways · 09/06/2023 22:09

People are entitled to swim in the ocean Hmm Now I've heard it all 🤣

Catlord · 09/06/2023 22:09

JustGeorgie · 09/06/2023 22:04

@Catlord "monk on" 😂 not heard that for years!!

😁 I hear it on a solidly regular basis from DM!

JandalsAlways · 09/06/2023 22:10

surejan24 · 09/06/2023 22:01

Is this a joke?

Do you expect a shark to understand that it's not supposed to eat a human? A shark doesn't know that a human is any different to a seal or any other prey!

This is one of the dumbest things I've read on here.

Agree.

wutheringkites · 09/06/2023 22:10

I think it shows how disconnected we are from nature that a person being killed by a wild animal has sparked outrage among strangers 3000 miles away.

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