Primal Fascination

A man watches for sharks at Muizenberg Beach near Capetown, South Africa.

    What does our fascination with sharks say about ourselves?
    To paraphrase The Atlantic magazine: ‘Sharks are radically different from the other animals that occasionally prey on us. In lions, tigers, and leopards we can recognize the kin of beloved house cats. In wolf packs we recognize the wild ancestors of dogs. Grizzly bears can sometimes seem deceptively human until it's too late.’
    In other words, we have no connections with sharks. They’re the ultimate bad guys. And that’s why sharks are such a curiosity.
    Perhaps this fascination is not for sharks per se, but with the concept of power. We are naturally intrigued by animals—and people—that wield power. Crocodiles. Napoleon. Lions. Henry VIII. Grizzly bears. Stalin. Great White sharks. Al Capone.
    Consider this fact: Sharks and Adolph Hitler are the two most popular subjects on documentary television shows.
    Perhaps we’ve got a Machiavellian gene in our bodies. It makes some people lust for power. The rest of us are fascinated by the individuals—and animals—that wield power.