Hello again, everyone! This entry will be about fear of snakes, both the rational and irrational sides of the coin. First, I would like to thank Brian Barczyk from BHB reptiles for this topic. Thanks Brian!
Now, let's get down to business. People are afraid of snakes for any number of reasons. Some of these are:
1. Religion: The Bible tells the story of the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat the apple. Because of this, mankind is cast out of Eden. Due to this, many people believe that snakes are evil and cruel. This is far from the truth. Snakes are not evil, but stories like this give them a bad rap.
2. The Media: Hollywood loves snakes. How many of you have seen the Anaconda movies? I am not condemning movies like this, because they make for great entertainment. However, this is all they are. Entertainment. Snakes are going to grow to be fifty feet long and as big around as a school bus with the desire to consume human flesh on a daily basis. While there are some big snakes (Reticulated and Burmese pythons are a popular big snake), they do not have the desire to kill and eat humans, or anything other than the prey they are normally fed (rats or, in many cases, rabbits).
3. Ignorance: Many people that are afraid of snakes have seen few, if any, in the wild. Many of them have also never handled a pet snake like a ball python. Some people have an irrational fear of snakes. This is called Ophidiophobia. It is a very real affliction and those afflicted by it have a very real fear of snakes.
4. Snakes are strange: Snakes are weird looking creatures. From the way they move, to the way they eat (think constrictors) to their little forked tongues and their lidless eyes. Everything about them is alien to most people. Some snakes are even recognized by their 'alien heads'. Again, there is nothing wrong with this. Humans are afraid of the strange and the unknown. That is the reason horror stories are so wildly popular.
Many people are afraid of snakes. Many people in my family call me weird or crazy or a freak because I love and own snakes. This is understandable. However, there are many excellent websites out there that are full of people ready and willing to help people better understand and, maybe eventually, banish their fear of snakes completely. That is the focus of this blog. I want to educate and inform you. If I can make one person think "Huh, snakes really aren't that bad!", I've done my job. Of course, I'd like to convert more than just one person! Please, comment if you have more reasons for people being afraid of snakes! I'll do a "part two" if I get enough ideas.
Yupp!
ReplyDeleteLove this article!
ReplyDeleteFew of my relatives and many acquaintances hate snakes and ain't able to understand, why I'm holding them as pets.
What I often hear are such ridiculous comments like: "They don't belong in a cage, they belong to the wilderness!" From people who hold animals like hamsters and birds in cakes which NEED the free, cause birds fly over long distances, like hamsters run in the night and this stupid wheels in their cages don't replace the marathon they run in the wilderness. Those illogical thinking people make people like me angry!
Great article! My mother has a genuine phobia of snakes, she was raised to believe every snake on the planet hated her, and was out to get her. Sigh.
ReplyDelete